Category Archives: Video

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.

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.