My name is Angelica Vargas. I come from a village called “Cusubei” which is in Canovanas, Puerto Rico. I am one of the seven Medina sisters.

Our family has always known of our Taino ancestry. Our mother Juana always told us stories of our family history. We in turn have passed on these stories to our children who are now teaching their own.

In Canovanas we live in what is popularly known as “parcelas” which are land allotments. These were “provided” by the government during the 1940's.  When you visit our parcelas it is like visiting an Indian reservation in the USA.

Our mother and grandmothers taught us how to make casabe bread from the Yuca, and taught us all about medicinal plants, when and how to plant them, and when to pick them. She lived in a bohio as did all of her family. My mother Juana cooked on an open fire, on three stone slabs. And it was during these times that she would tell us of our family history and make us proud to be of Indian descent. We used words patacas, higueros, makutos, hamacas, hundreds of words that come form our ancestors.

Today my uncle Cristino Sanchez, who is in his 90's is the one who continues teaching us about our heritage, through his memories of our campo before the parcelas, and his knowledge of our family. My daughter Valerie Nanaturey Vargas recently began video taping all our elders in her relentless attempt to show the world that we the Taino never became extinct. She makes us all proud.  Valerie is in turn passing on these traditions to her children.

My family is proud of our heritage, and always will be. We express this to all who ask us, and especially to those who believe that our bloodlines became extinct. We are a living, breathing people who will continue to exist despite what all the “historians" say.

BACK TO THE TABLE OF CONTENTS
on the Testimonies Page