Caciques in Puerto Rico

The native Taíno tribes have played a major role in the history and culture of the island of Puerto Rico.

It has been suggested that the first tribe to begin settling in the Caribbean and therefore, Puerto Rico were the Ortoiroid, a small group that left Venezuela for Trinidad and Tobago around 5,000 BC.

These naborias were workers who also hunted, prepared food, and built houses in the community, which were called bohíos.

After much mistreatment, and the implement of the encomienda system over the land, the caciques and Taínos as a group lost their control of the island.

[6] The Taíno, led by caciques Agüeybaná II, Urayoán, Coxiguex, Yauco, Jumacao, Loquillo, Orocobix, Guayama, as well as many others, rebelled, however they lacked the weaponry to defeat the Spanish.