The forgotten War that determined the future of the western hemisphere.
And the future of Europe and the Americas will be forever changed.
According to National Geographic,
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The Taíno genetically assimilated them.
November 18, 1493.
Continues as it had for millennia.
Gathering papaya,mango and other tropical fruits year round.
Etching pictographs into rock fascia’s.
They create the iconic Taíno Coqui Pictogaph
Of Puerto Rico's Ubiquitous little frog
Taíno Cavern Exploration
Exploring the third largest Cavern System in the world.
The same as the Mayans did in Chichén Itzá.
life in Spain
However Spain in 1492 was a
Totally different world.
After 500 of war against the Muslim moors, Spain was left ravished and its people impoverished and bitter.
After so many years of war, Spain also had abundance ambitious warriors. All of them seeking adventure and wealth.
The marriage of Isabel of Castile and Ferdanad of Argon in 1469, created a powerful new Christian country.
Spain was already behind in global colonization. It’s rival Portugal had begun colonization in Angola, Africa in 1482.
Their knowledge of deep water navigation allowed them to settle the Azores.
The Portuguese already had trade ports in India.
In architecture, science and especially mathematics, this knowledge helped Europe crawl its way out of the dark ages and lead directly to “The Age of Enlightenment”.
After driving out the Moors out of their last stronghold in Granada in 1492, the Spanish King and Queen, desperate to consolidate power, signed the edict to expel all Jews from Spain.
The reconquista of of Cadiz gave Spain access to the south Atlantic.
Now with The “Reconquista” complete, Spain had an over abundance of trained soldiers looking for prestige, title, land and most of all, gold and Instant status!!
Many young men of high birth trained to be knights.
He came from a noble family.
Handsome and a trained classical guitarist, he was well liked and admired.
Orpheus especially likes playing music before audiences of young noble women.
It was only a mater of time, like many of his fellow young noblemen, before he enlisted with the swashbuckling conquistadors. Seeking wealth, titles and prestige in exploring the Indies.
He trains hard and long.
In 1492, Columbus was a 40 year old maritime navigator from Genoa Italy. Both parents were converted Jews.
He acquired somehow the Portuguese secrets of deep water navigation and was adept at using the amazing new scientific instrument, the sextant.
The Portuguese used Deep Water Navigation to Sail to India in 1480
He managed to convince the Queen of Spain to outfit him with the expedition to find a quicker route to the Indies.
He left Spain with three ships..
October 12, 1492
After 29 days at sea, Columbus finds the Bahamas, with friendly Indigenous Arawaks. H thinks he'e reached India. He Calls them Indians.
He Sails on to Hispanola with The Niña.
The Niña runs aground.
Upon hearing from local Indian Chief, of Gold, he creates "La Navidad" the first perment European colony in The New World.
Leaves two Noble Men incharge of 36 men.
January 16, 1493
He reunites with the Pinta, and sails back with four "Indians" to bring back to Spain.
Columbus claims found a new route to the Indies. What he raelly found was a whole new world.
And !,500 men including soldiers colonists and domestic animals.
With several hundred trained mounted conquistadors.
November 3, 1493
His crew see the island of Puerto Rico in the distance.
Taíno Indians see the ships
Runner sent to the Cacique Agüeyabana I that
Ships are sighted.
Runners inform Agüeybaná, the most powerful cacique on Borikén of strange large canoes approaching.
Greets Agüeyabana I the chief Cacique in Borikén
Still thinks he’s near India.
He introduces Sugarcane brought from the Canery Islands.
The Spanish learn about Hammocks.
The Sailors aboard Columbus' ships quickly adopt Hammocks for sleeping onboard ships.
Soon Hammocks become preferred method of transport large numbers of people comfortably on ships for long voyages.
1493-1507
The Spanish focus on the Island of Hispaniola (Española) and it's new capital of Santo Domingo.
Meanwhile in Borikén
The Taínos continue to battle the ferocious Caribs. 
Ponce de Leon becomes Governor of Puerto Rico. Colonization begins.
The Spanish take control of island.
OUR STORY BEGINS
Orpheus Del Zaragoza arrives
On August 8, 1508, Ponce de León founded Caparra, the first European settlement in Puerto Rico, not far from the modern city of San Juan. The Taíno Cacique (Chief) Agüeybaná openly greeted Ponce de León. However, conflicts soon arose as the settlers began subjugating the Taíno.
Aftaer tree weeks at sea, Orpheus is ecstatic about arrival.
Orpheus charms his fellow conquisatdors with his music.
Orpheus even plays his music on long patrols.
Orpheus charms the Spanish settlers with his music.
Finally, Orpheus charms the Taino with his music.
Maunaba meets the young Spaniard.
Maunaba is captivated by the young Spaniard.
Maunaba is captivated by the young Spaniard.
Spanish build Settlement at Carparra.
Taino seek Spanish help against Carib.
Spanish discover Caribs are castrating and cannibalizing young boys. Their own offspring with Taíno women.
Priest declare them unbaptizedable.
The priests orders them killed.
The unlikely Love affair forms Between Orpheus and Maunaba, during the relatively peaceful period 1508-1511.
They marry in a Taíno ceremony.
They have child.
The couple the Baptize child.
Spanish continue to build settlements.
The Spanish abuse, the Indians to mine gold.
Spanish enforce slavery for mining and fortified positions.
Ponce de Leon makes fortune in cassava bread. which has a prolonged shelf life for the 28 day trip back to Spain.
Spanish Crown in 1511, authorizes importation of African Slaves.
For working in mining Gold
For help construct stone fortresses
For work cultivating Sugarcane.
Smallpox Arrives
Agueybana I dies.
Agueybana II takes over.
The Taíno believed the the Spanish were Gods
Agueybana II orders that
the Conqistador Diego Salcedo should be tricked by showing him gold.
some say it was the promise of many avaiable women by a lake.
He was really to be drowned in a river.
Agueybana II orders the Indians to sit by his body for three days to see that it does not come to life again.
Like the Spanish Son of their God.
They return to Agueybana 2 with Diego's helmet.
Caparra is burned.
Spanish begin move to the harbor islet.
Begin Building stone fortress.
Large Battles occur, many Taino deaths
In the first year the Indians try several large scale, frontal attacks and suffer, staggering losses, even though the Spanish a few in number.
Then the Indians resort to guerilla warfare tactics and ambush the Spanish the marching through the jungle.
The Spanish change to mounted attacks directed at the Indian villages
Maunaba is forced to take up arms against the Spanish, she kills several Conquistadors, friends of Orpheus.
Maunaba, is devastated by the war.
Orpheus try to console her. She is irreconcilable.
Maunaba has tremendous sympathy for both sides, However, because the Baby is of mixed race, she Decides to give her Child to a Spanish woman.
She is now wanted by the Spanish! Desperate, She quickly flees and disappears into jungle.
She is suddenly threatened by Carib kidnappers.
Orpheus arrives in time to save her.
She’s then bitten by large deadly poisonous snake
She dies.
Devastated Orpheus brings her back to her Taino family to bury her.
They take her to the entrance to underworld.
At “The Cave that Births the Rio Camuy”
Orpheus is who irreconcilable.
Orpheus tells her father that he is determined to bring her back from the underworld.
Her Father tells him to consult the witch doctor.
Orpheus goes into the jungle to seek the witch doctor.
The witch doctor tells him about the underworld’s gate keeper. The powerful god called “Hurricane”.
How he must somehow bribe him, offering him something he doesn’t have, to let her go!!
Orpheus is determined and goes to retrieve her.
He enters the cave Carrying his guitar, hoping to charm the Taino God, Hurricane.
He finds a underground river.
A friendly and gracious, old Taino Indian ferryman helps him cross the river in his canoe.
A ghost? The harbinger of death?
He is then confronted by The Underworld’s Gate Keeper, the great God, hurricane. He is a giant coqui frog.
Orpheus gives him music and a song that he sings on his guitar.
The Coqui is enchanted. He never heard music before. He learns the song.
Orpheus enters and retrieves Maunaba.
The Coqui says they can leave, however their “love must be tested”.
He lets them pass.
Orpheus brings her out.
The Old Indian ferryman is now very angry and refuses to take them across.
Orpheus convinces him to take him back across and he promises to send many dead Taínos including Agueybana 2 for him to ferry across.
Almost At the entrance to the cave a hurricane strikes.
They loses their grip.
Hurricane blows her back into cave.
She’s gone
War rages on.
More deadly mounted attacks on Taino Villages
Orpheus runs to the village to warn them. He dies in the battle protecting chief Agueybana 2.
The Spanish win battle after battle and attacking Indian villages.
They continue with enslaved labor building their fortress and mining for gold.
Orpheus and Manuba's baby is given to early Spanish settler family to raise as its own.
The Taíno Smallpox Plague occurred before the massive outbreaks of smallpox on the mainland which would in under 50 years, kill 15,000,000 people, half the continents’ population.
Especially in the heaviest populated areas like Mexico City and the Mayan Yucatán peninsula.
By 1550 The Taíno People is officially declared "Disappeared".
The New puertorriqueño is born.
Munaba’s skeletal remains are found in grave deep in the Camuy Cave in 1998.
2018-2019
The Skeleton’s mitochondrial
DNA is extracted.
Reaserch Studies show today’s Puertorriqueños have between 3%-28% of her Taino Mitochondrial DNA.
Many people today identify as Taíno or claim ancestry.
Many Puerto Ricans have a Taino coqui pictograph tattoos.
A Re-awareness of Puerto Rico’s Taino Culture is occurring.
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