Taino Gods and Spirits

The Taino people worshipped both ancestors and nature, personifying the supernatural forces of both as powerful gods. Sacred Zemi images of stone and wood represented these powerful supernatural beings. The two major Taino deities were Yucahu, the 'spirit of cassava' - the staple food of the Taino, and Atabey, goddess of human fertility. In a world of violently destructive weather, the Taino also worshipped a female deity, Guabancex, the 'Lady of the Winds', mistress of hurricanes. As with Amerindians elsewhere, the gods and spirits of the Caribbean Taino symbolised their intimate relationship with the natural forces which shaped the world.