Anacaona (1474?–1504), or Golden Flower, was a

Taíno The Taíno are the Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, Indigenous peoples of the Greater Antilles and surrounding islands. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the principal inhabitants of most of what is now The ...

cacica, or female ''

cacique A cacique, sometimes spelled as cazique (; ; feminine form: ), was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, who were the Indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles at the time of European cont ...

'' (chief), religious expert, poet and composer born in Xaragua. Before the arrival of

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

in 1492, bohio or babeque to the Taínos (the Spaniards named it La Española, i.e., Hispaniola — now known as the Dominican Republic and Haiti) was divided into five kingdoms, i.e., Xaragua, Maguana, Higüey, Maguá, and Marién. Anacaona was born into a family of caciques. She was the sister of Bohechío, the ruler of Xaragua. She succeeded Bohechío as cacica after his death. In 1503, Nicolás Ovando, the governor of the island, visited Xaragua. He suspected an insurrection was brewing among the Taíno chiefs, including Anacaona, presently in the kingdom. Ovando gave the order for the caciques to be captured and burned. Anacaona was hanged.

Early life and family

Anacaona was born in Yaguana (present-day Léogâne, Haiti), the capital of Jaragua, in 1474 (?). Her name was derived from the

words ', meaning 'flower', and ', meaning 'gold, golden.' Anacaona's brother Bohechío was a local chieftain. He extended his rule in 1475 to include all territories west of Xaragua. Through consolidation of his influence and power, Bohechío married Anacaona to Caonabo, cacique of Maguana.Hoeg, Jerry (2015-09-02). "Manuel de Jesús Galván's Enriquillo: A novel look at the environment of marriage in the first colony". ''Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies''. 40 (3): 385–393. doi:10.1080/08263663.2015.1090709.

ISSN An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an eight-digit to uniquely identify a periodical publication (periodical), such as a magazine. The ISSN is especially helpful in distinguishing between serials with the same title. ISSNs a ...

0826-3663. Together they had one daughter, Higüemota. On December 4, 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived in the kingdom of Marién at present-day Mole St Nicholas, Haiti. He was in search of a direct route to the Indies (India). Upon arrival, he was greeted by the Tainos, who were much smaller in stature compared to the Spaniards. Columbus was gifted with gold, corn, and other items. In 1493, the Spanish Crown established a colony whose sole purpose was to excavate for gold and other precious metals. With the establishment of the new colony

Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...

, the Taíno were kidnapped and enslaved to satisfy the needs of the Crown (many Taíno women were raped and those Taínos who resisted the Spaniards were murdered). In 1493, Caonabo was arrested for ordering the destruction of

La Navidad La Navidad ("The Nativity", i.e. Christmas) was a Spanish fort that Christopher Columbus and his crew established on the northwest coast of Hispaniola (near what is now Caracol, Nord-Est, Caracol, Nord-Est (department), Nord-Est Department, Hait ...

(a Spanish colony in the northwestern part of the island) and its people. He was shipped to Spain and died in a shipwreck during the journey. When Caonabo was captured, Anacaona returned to Xaragua and served as an advisor to Bohechío. In 1498, Bohechío was confronted by Bartholomew Columbus, brother of Christopher Columbus and founder of the city of

, who arrived in Xaragua with his troops to subdue Bohechío and conquer his territory. The purpose of the Spaniards in so doing was to acquire gold. With his power weakened, Bohechío, advised by Anacaona, decided to recognize the sovereignty of the Catholic Monarchs. Instead of fighting, he committed himself to pay the tribute levied by the Spaniards with products such as cotton, bread, corn, and fish. Bohechío died before 1503 and Anacaona succeeded him and ruled as cacica. Copia de Cacicazgos de la Hispaniola

Arrest and death

In the fall of 1503, Governor Nicolás Ovando and his party of 300 traveled on foot to Xaragua. They were received in a lavish ceremony by Anacaona, her nobles, and several Taíno chiefs. While the Taíno presented the reception as a gesture of welcome, the Spanish saw it as being an elaborate distraction. Ovando's party was under the impression that Anacaona and the Taíno chiefs present at the reception were planning an insurrection. Ovando lured the chiefs into a caney (large hut) for a Spanish tournament and gave the signal for the Spaniards to seize and bind the

s. They were burned in the caney while other Taínos of lower rank were slaughtered outside. Anacaona was hanged. Or Anacaona was transferred to Santo Domingo in 1504, and three months later, she was tried and sentenced to death by hanging. According to historian Troy S. Floyd, the accuracy of the accounts of this event remain uncertain for many reasons. For one, even though the separate accounts made it seem as though it was a perfectly segregated fight along racial lines, the two groups had coexisted and intermarried for six years prior. For another, it is unclear why the Spaniards would lure the Taínos into a trap. However, there was a history of violence where the Taíno were kidnapped and enslaved to satisfy the needs of the Crown (many Taíno women were raped and those Taínos who resisted the Spaniards were murdered). Additionally, fifty Spaniards were killed; this is a high number of casualties considering that the Europeans deployed superior military technology. Finally, the Xaragua caciques were respected as some of the most intelligent on the island and it is unlikely that they could be lured into a hut if they were planning their own revolt. According to Sir Arthur Helps' book ''The Spanish Conquest in America'' (1855), Nicolás Ovando renamed the place where Anacaona was murdered “The City of True Peace” (La Villa de la Vera Paz), "...in honor of his recent triumph". The arms assigned to the city were "...a rainbow and a cross, with a dove bearing the olive branch!".

Legacy and influence

Anacaona, as a poet and composer, is accordingly memorialized in contemporary art and literature across the Caribbean region. A statue commemorating her legacy is in Léogâne, Haiti. The tallest building in the Caribbean, ''Torre Anacaona 27'', is named after her, in the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...

. The song ''Anacaona'', lead vocals by

Cheo Feliciano Cheo Feliciano (3 July 1935 – 17 April 2014) was a Puerto Rican singer and composer of salsa and bolero music. Feliciano was the owner of a recording company called "Coche Records". He was the first tropical singer to perform at the "Amira ...

, popularizes her story.

Literature

* The Royal Diaries series, ''Anacaona: Golden Flower, Haiti, 1490 by Edwidge Danticat'' * ''Anacaona, la Reine Taino d'Ayiti'' by Maryse N. Roumain, PhD.

Music

* "Anacaona", by Ansy and Yole Dérose * "Anacaona", by Super Sonic de Larose * "Anacaona", by Eddy Francois * "Anacaona", composed by Tite Curet Alonso * "Anacaona", by Irka Mateo * "Anacaona", sung by

Notes

References

* *

Bartolomé de las Casas Bartolomé de las Casas, Dominican Order, OP ( ; ); 11 November 1484 – 18 July 1566) was a Spanish clergyman, writer, and activist best known for his work as an historian and social reformer. He arrived in Hispaniola as a layman, then became ...

: A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies. * Peter Martyr d'Anghiera: De Orbe Novo. * Samuel M. Wilson: Hispaniola - Caribbean Chiefdoms in the Age of Columbus. The University of Alabama Press, 1990. . Attribution *

External links

* The Louverture Project
Anacaona
* Songs (salsa) about Anacaona (Cheo Feliciano and the Fania All Stars)
Anacaona
*anacaona the golden flower book {{DEFAULTSORT:Anacaona 1470s births 1504 deaths 16th-century people from the Colony of Santo Domingo 15th-century indigenous people of the Americas 16th-century North American people 16th-century women monarchs Women Native American leaders Taíno leaders Resistance to colonialism History of Puerto Rico