Hatuey was a Taíno chief who lived on the island of Hispaniola in the early sixteenth century. He has attained legendary status for leading a group of natives in a fight against the invading Spanish, and thus becoming the first fighter against colonialism in the New World. He is celebrated as "Cuba's First National Hero." The Taíno are pre-Colombian indigenous Amerindian inhabitants of the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles islands, which include Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. ... Early map of Hispaniola The island of Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of Cuba to the west, and Puerto Rico to the east. ... See colony and colonisation for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism. ... Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, c. ...

In 1511, Diego Velázquez set out from Hispaniola to conquer the island of Cuba. He was preceded, however, by Hatuey, who fled Hispaniola via canoe with a party of four hundred natives and warned the Cuban natives about what to expect from the Spaniards. 1511 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar (1465 – 1524) was a Spanish conquistador. ...

Bartolomé de Las Casas later attributed the following speech to Hatuey. He showed the Cubans a basket of gold and jewels, saying: Bartolomé de Las Casas Bartolomé de Las Casas, O.P. (1484 – July 17, 1566) was a 16th century Spanish priest, and the first resident Bishop of Chiapas. ...

Here is the God the Spaniards worship. For these they fight and kill; for these they persecute us and that is why we have to throw them into the sea... They tell us, these tyrants, that they adore a God of peace and equality, and yet they usurp our land and make us their slaves. They speak to us of an immortal soul and of their eternal rewards and punishments, and yet they rob our belongings, seduce our women, violate our daughters. Incapable of matching us in valor, these cowards cover themselves with iron that our weapons cannot break...

Most of the Cubans could not believe Hatuey's message, and few joined him to fight. Hatuey resorted to guerrilla tactics against the Spaniards, and was able to confine them to their fort at Baracoa. Eventually the Spaniards succeeded in capturing him. On February 2, 1512, he was tied to a stake and burned alive. Guerrilla War redirects here. ... , A cabin in the hills near Baracoa Baracoa (20° 20 N, 74° 30 W, 1996: 50. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1512 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Before he was burned, a priest asked him if he would accept Jesus and go to heaven. Hatuey asked "Are there people like you in heaven?" When the priest assured him that there were, Hatuey replied that he wanted nothing to do with a God that allowed such cruelty to be perpetuated in His name. Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE — 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ...

References in Popular Culture

There is a beer brewed in Cuba called Hatuey. There is also a Cuban American malta (soft drink) called Hatuey. Both carry variations of a Taíno profile as its logo. A selection of bottled beers A selection of cask beers Beer is the worlds oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage, selling more than 133 billion litres (35,000 million gallons) a year. ... The Taíno are pre-Colombian indigenous Amerindian inhabitants of the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles islands, which include Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. ...

References

See also

• List of Taínos
• Taínos