Kasibahagua at the United Nations 2014

UCTP Taino News - Members of Kasibahagua share a song during the 
UN International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples held at the United
Nations on August 8th, 2014. 

Kasibahagua Featured at Indigenous Peoples Festival

UCTP Taino News - Members of the Kasibahagua Taino Cultural Society 

performing at the Indigenous Peoples Festival in held in honor of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The event was held at Brook Park in the South Bronx on Sunday, May 18, 2014. 

6th Annual Indigenous Day of Remembrance

Members of Kasibahagua perform at the Shorakapok Earth Keepers Dance and Drum Circle

Kasibahagua Taino Cultural Society at Drums Along the Hudson 2013

Thank you to Ayle for the photos!  

Eleventh Annual Drums Along the Hudson®: A Native American Festival

Eleventh Annual Drums Along the Hudson®: A Native American Festival
Sunday, May 19th, 2013 - 11:00 am until 6:00 pm
Rain or Shine - FREE
Inwood Hill Park, NY
218th Street and Indian Road (4 blocks west of Broadway)

The Eleventh Annual DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON®: A NATIVE AMERICAN FESTIVAL will take place on Sunday, May 19th, 2013 in Upper Manhattan`s Inwood Hill Park from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm, rain or shine. This event is presented by Lotus Music & Dance in collaboration with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, sponsored in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Councilman Robert Jackson and WABC-TV.

A FREE, multi cultural family-oriented festival, DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON® includes exhibitions of world dance and drumming traditions with host Louis Mofsie and the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, Heyna Second Sons, Silver Cloud Drum Group, and the Kasibahagua Taino Cultural Society, as well as Native American crafts and international foods. The festival combines a celebration of Native American heritage, culture, and art with the diversity of New York City itself. In keeping with the underlying theme of environmental appreciation and education, DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON® will continue to feature an Environmental Tent which will include appearances by Captain Planet, courtesy of the Captain Planet Foundation.

During the day, we take time out to honor individuals and organizations for their contributions to environmental and humanitarian causes. This year's honorees are Grammy Award Winner, Singer and Songwriter Joanne Shenandoah and Author Doug George for their contributions to Native American arts and culture, and Deborah Harvey-Koenigsberger, Founder and President of Hearts of Gold, for her huminatarian services. We will also plant a Tree of Peace in a ceremony, officiated by Mohawk Elder Tom Porter, which pays tribute to the memory of community leaders we have lost in the previous year. Sandra Bookman, weekend anchor for WABC-TV will host the event.

This year, we will have a free bicycle valet for attendees who ride their bike to the park.

To reach Inwood Hill Park, take the 1 train to 215th Street or the A train to 207th Street. The Entrance to the park is at 218th Street and Indian Road, four blocks west of Broadway. By car, it is just north of the Dyckman Street exit off the Henry Hudson Parkway.

Special Note: Members of the Kasibahagua Taino Cultural Society will share a presentation of Taino Music and Song at 11am. The United Confederation of Taino People will also have an information and mini-Museum table.

Taíno-themed game released for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch

Santa Clara, CA (UCTP Taino News) - Raindrop Games has launched a new historical game entitled “Arrival: Village Kasike” for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Arrival: Village Kasike is the first game in the planed Arrival series, which focuses on the history of the indigenous Taíno peoples. Players will lead an ancient Taíno village to thriving prosperity or a struggling existence with challenges including hurricane preparation, food cultivation, village defense, and morale management, etc.  

 

Arrival: VillageKasike presents the story of Naniki, a Taíno woman, who, through fate, must lead a struggling village somewhere in the Caribbean. The iOS game was developed in collaboration with the United Confederation of Taíno People with Roberto Múkaro Borrero, President of The United Confederation of Taíno People as project’s lead consultant. Borrero reviewed the various aspects of ancient Taíno life portrayed - from clothing, farming techniques, and socio-ceremonial presentations – in an effort to provided the highest standard of accuracy in this setting. In his personal capacity as a renowned Taíno musician, Borrero also provided Taíno music and speech to create a more immersive and authentic experience.

“Before even beginning development, Raindrop Games reached out to the Confederation, and we in turned reached out to the Community – affiliated and non-affiliated - about the potential of this collaboration” stated Borrero. After outreach and consultations, the Confederation received mostly positive reactions to the project. 

“There were a few concerns, but the fact that we would be consulting all through development was a critical factor” noted Borrero. “The potential for introducing our ancient and contemporary culture to vast audiences using this technology was an educational opportunity that merited our attention and participation.” 

According to Raindrop games, the goal was to create engaging, entertaining, and educational game play experience were the concept of “balance” is the key to survival. 
  

Recommended devices for game play are iPhone 4 or newer, all iPads, iOS 5 or newer is required. Those interested in Arrival: Village Kasike can open iTunes to purchase and download the apps. Raindrop games also maintains a website for more information at http://www.arrivalgame.com/.

UCTPTN 11.17.2012