Encantada
Isle of Myths
An Online Encyclopedia Experience Restoring the Taíno Culture of Puerto Rico Through Storytelling
Storytelling
Discover the Imagination of the Ancient Puerto Rican Taíno
Centuries ago the rainforest of Puerto Rico was home to a people that told stories of love, destruction, and the divine. These people live on hidden in the modern era.
This website is a collection of their stories retold for the people of today. You are invited to read and learn from this valuable collection in honor of the culture of the Boricua Taínos.
This project is an ongoing project, without a due date. I intend to keep this website up and add new stories over time. Check back from time to time to see what’s new.
Read or Listen to a Contemporary Retelling of Ancient Myths in English and Spanish
The Taíno believed in natural divinity. The zemi (gods) were not above them, but a crucial part of the natural world. They were enamored by the beauty of their environment so full of life, and they could only infer that the land itself was a living avatar of the divine to be revered and adored. In order to better understand how the flora and fauna came to be, the Taíno created and shared an oral tradition of myths.
Glossary
The Language of the Taíno lives on Today in Spanish Spoken by Puerto Ricans
The Boricuas spoke their very own language and Puerto Ricans believed it to have mostly gone extinct. However, some of the popular words of the Taíno language are unknowingly mixed into Spanish spoken by today’s Puerto Ricans. Learn about these words as well as the historical context of their uses in these myths.
