Anani Kaike 

Febuary 16, 2019

Hatuey was a Taino Cacique (chief) of the island of Quiskeya, (now the Dominican Republic). He never surrendered, and saw through the evil of the spaniards immediately, telling the people of Cuba that the gold was all the Spaniards care for. With a basket of gold he said the following to the Taino people of Cuba, as recorded by Bertolome de las Casas:

“Here is the God the Spaniards worship. For these they fight and kill; for these they persecute us and that is why we have to throw them into the sea… They tell us, these tyrants, that they adore a God of peace and equality, and yet they usurp our land and make us their slaves. They speak to us of an immortal soul and of their eternal rewards and punishments, and yet they rob our belongings, seduce our women, violate our daughters. Incapable of matching us in valor, these cowards cover themselves with iron that our weapons cannot break…”

Hatuey and his warriors waged war against the Spaniards. The Spaniards were afraid to leave their fort for 3 months due to Hatuey and his warriors.

However due to traitor, who told the Spaniards where he was, Hatuey was captured and tied to the rubber tree. The priest who was present asked Hatuey if he would become a Christian and be baptized so he could go to heaven when he died. Hatuey then asked the priest if heaven was where they (the spanairds) went when they died. When the priest answered yes, Hatuey said he would rather go to their hell. The spaniards then set fire to Hatuey.  While he was being burned Hatuey never uttered a word nor shed a tear but simply looked into the sun as he was burned alive. The date he was killed may have been February 2 of 1512, but that date is debated.

Hatuey was never fooled by the spaniards he saw their evil immediately. Hatuey is considered Cuba’s first national hero by some. To me Hatuey is one of the many Taino Freedom fighters.

In the spirit and resistance of Cacique Hatuey.