Dive into
the beauty of
Taíno civilisation

Origins and Culture

The Taíno civilization indigenous to the Greater Antilles-Caribbean Sea (Hispaniola) flourished in the islands including Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Jamaica and Puerto Rico before and during the time when Christopher Columbus landed on the beaches of the New World in 1492.

Discover
5,000+ listed
Taíno's Artifacts

Dieties, Duhos, Effigies...

Kathy Dicquemare collection is one of the largest in the world. The most important items were appraised by leading laboratories. Many items are unique and are the object of further analysis.

Help us to build
the first Taíno
museum in Haiti

Over 5,000 Artifacts
from Taíno heritage

Since more than 50 years, Kathy and Jean-Claude Dicquemare have collected more than 5,000 unique artifacts from Taíno's civilisation in Haiti. This unique collection could be shared with all and their wish is to build the first Taíno's Museum in Haiti.

Experience the
daily life of
Taíno people

Beliefs, Community, Entertainment...

The Arawak/Taíno society was basically a very gentle culture. It was characterized by happiness, friendliness and a highly organized hierarchical, paternal society, and a lack of guile.

Make a donation

Welcome to the Taíno Museum

Help build the first Taíno Museum in Haiti

Since near 50 years, Kathy Dicquemare (80+) has bring together more than 5,000 pre-Columbian artifacts, the majority of which are Taíno pan-Caribbean archaeological objects from Haiti. This is from far the first unique Private Collection on Taíno People up to now.

Since 2009, Kathy has create the KATHY DICQUEMARE FOUNDATION, a non profit organisation. Since 2011, the Foundation is member of the ICOM - INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS (https://icom.museum). ICOM sets standards for museums in design, management and collections organisation. The ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums is a reference in the global museum community.

The main purpose of the foundation is to build the first national Taíno Museum to share this collection with the public. While protecting the collection of the foundation, the museum has an educational objective to make discover the Taíno culture to the largest number of people.

As soon as the project is fully sustainable and financed, the construction of the Taíno Museum building will start. The Museum is hosted inside the Cormier Beach Resort area.

Kathy’s Private Collection

For the past 40 years, Kathy shares her passion with her husband Jean-Claude who decided to collect as much information about these objects… As Kathy wants to share her passion with the children of Haiti and also tourists from all over the world. We will appreciate your contribution to build the first Taïno museum in Haiti and preserve Taíno’s heritage.

Make a donation now!

Talking Stick

The talking stick, also called a speaker's staff, is an instrument of aboriginal democracy used by Taino tribes. The talking stick may be passed around a group or used only by leaders as a symbol of their authority and right to speak in public.

In a council circle, a talking stick is passed around from member to member allowing only the person holding the stick to speak. This enables all those present at a council meeting to be heard, especially those who may be shy; consensus can force the stick to move along to assure that the "long winded" don't dominate the discussion; and the person holding the stick may allow others to interject. Talking sticks have high ceremonial and spiritual value, and have proved to be exceedingly useful during current implementations.
 

Carved Skull

The carved skull is extremely rare artifact. This skull has been found in Haiti. Taíno symbols are carved on the skull. The symbol of the frog is carved on the skull of this young girl.

This frog is Taíno common symbol meaning the female sex. The particularity of this frog on this skull is that it has a very large tail going almost all around the skull.
 

On the Beach

Overview of some Taíno's artifacts from Kathy's private collection. Jean-Claude manipulates a very rare carved skull, two wooded pipes and a talking stick. This video has been recorded on the beautiful beach of North Haiti.
 

Taino Petroglyphs

The Ancient Taíno people left behind beautiful petroglyphs giving us an insight into their past lives and culture. The Taíno were really into making drawings or carvings (called petroglyphs) on rocks near rivers or in caves. North of Haiti, in Gorge of Foulon in Sainte-Suzanne, show some very interesting petroglyphs.

Courtesy of Eddy Rubin
 

In the middle of a tropical garden

The Taíno museum in Haiti will be built in the middle of a tropical garden, respecting the environment in which the Taíno people lived before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492.

For obvious safety reasons (tsunami, earthquake), the museum will be farther from the sea that houses the hotel but easily accessible.

While protecting the collection of the foundation, the museum has an educational objective to make discover the Taíno culture to the largest number of people.

Museum Logo

Museum Logo
Coqui Frog The coqui frog is a national symbol in Puerto Rico and the species is currently endangered. Many Taíno Indian stories and legends include the Coqui. The beloved coqui frogs are found in much of the Taíno art such as pictographs and pottery. The coqui frog symbol, used to design the Taíno Museum logo, has been discovered in…
Read more