United Confederation of Taíno People

UCTP Governing Board Naniki Reyes Ocasio, Caney Areito Jara Guatukan, Borikén (Puerto Rico) Cesar Guayacan Serraty, Fundacion Luz Cosmica Fraternalista Taina, Kiskeia (Dominican Republic) Roger Guayakan Hernandez, Presencia Taina, Borikén/New York Rodney Guatushina Rivera, Kasibahagua Taino Cultural Society, New York Damon Gerard Corrie, Eagle Clan Arawaks, Barbados/Guyana Roberto Múkaro Borrero, Iukaieke Guainia, U.S. / Borikén Vanessa Inarunikia Pastrano, Bohio Atabei Caribbean Indigenous Women’s Circle, U.S./Borikén Associate Member Rep. Joanna “Aya” Soto-‐Aviles, Yucayeque Agueyni, Borikén Liaison Officers Monika Mamona Ponton-‐
Arrington (Southeastern Region); Mildred Mukara Torres-‐Speeg (Georgia); Mildred Karaira Gandia (Florida); Claudia Fox Tree (Massachusetts); Hector Baracutey Gonzalez (Connecticut) ; Rose Anao Quinñoes (Ohio), Cheyenne Velasquez (Minnesota); Edgardo Perez (Illinois); Enid Tati Conley (Florida); AnaYuisa Pellicier (Florida); Joey Karei Inherst (Florida); Maekiaphan Phillips (St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.) Director of Technology Ericc Ausubonex Diaz Legal Council DeAnna Sarobei Rivera; Liza O’Reily United Confederation of Taíno People ● Borikén (Puerto Rico) ● Kiskeia (Dominican Republic) ● Barbados ● Bimini (United States) ● St. Thomas (U.S.V.I.) ● Cuba July 26, 2014 To: Hon. Senator Myron D. Jackson, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands th
Re: July 30 hearing of the Committee on Culture, Historic Preservation, Youth & Recreation on the subject of recognizing Amerindian heritage in the Virgin Islands. Greetings honorable Senator Myron D. Jackson: On behalf of the United Confederation of Taino People, it is my pleasure to forward this communication to you. The United Confederation of Taino People was founded in 1998 as an inter-‐
Tribal authority to raise the visibility, concerns, and aspirations of Taino Indian and other Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean Island region at the local, national, and international level. The purpose of this letter is to commend you and all of the honorable legislators on this timely initiative concerning the proposed “Act to recognize and respect our sacred national patrimony, and the rights of the Taino, Carib, and other Caribbean Indigenous Peoples, as pre-‐Columbian inhabitants of the U.S. Virgins Islands, and that their descendants continue to exist today; and to designate Salt River Bay and Magen’s Bay as Amerindian Sacred Places.” We also are writing to comment on the legislation to be presented for deliberation on 30 July 2014. Overall, we are very pleased with the general tone proposed legislation, as it is very comprehensive. We are proposing, however, two important amendments in SECTION 2 as follows: Operational paragraph “e” currently reads: e) Human remains that have been excavated and identified as Amerindian shall be reinterred in a designated burial vault at Magen’s Bay and Salt River Bay if the remains were excavated at those sites. At Salt River Bay, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources shall make the designation. At Magen’s Bay, the Magen’s Bay Authority shall make the designation. Maekiaphan The United Confederation of Taino People proposes the following amendment: e) In consultation with Opi’a Taino, Opi’a Taino International of St. Thomas, and the United Confederation of Taino People, human remains that have been excavated and identified as Amerindian shall be reinterred in a designated burial vault at Magen’s Bay and Salt River Bay if the remains were excavated at those sites. At Salt River Bay, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources shall make the designation. At Magen’s Bay, the Magen’s Bay Authority shall make the designation. This amendment to operational paragraph (e) would satisfy Article 19 on consultation as per the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as consultation with “Indian Tribes… and other interested parties” as per National Historic Preservation Act, Pub. L. No. 89-‐665, § 1, 80 Stat. 915 (1966) (codified as amended at 16 U.S.C. §§ 470a to 470w-‐6(1988)). UCTP – Office of International Relations and Regional Coordination PO Box 4515, New York, NY 10163 • [email protected] • www.uctp.org La Confederación Unida de el Pueblo Taíno, Oficina de Enlace en Borikén P.O. Box 495, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, 00601 • 787.414.2364 tel. United Confederation of Taíno People ● Borikén (Puerto Rico) ● Kiskeia (Dominican Republic) ● Barbados ● Bimini (United States) ● St. Thomas (U.S.V.I.) ● Cuba In addition, operational paragraph “j” currently reads: j) The Government of the Virgin Islands shall recognize any individual as having Native American heritage and/or ancestry if through DNA testing that person has at least a 2.5% blood quantum level of Native American genetics. The United Confederation of Taino People proposes the following amendment: j) The Government of the Virgin Islands shall recognize any individual as having Native American heritage and/or ancestry if through DNA testing that person has at least 2.5% Native American genetics or if they are tribally enrolled members in good standing with Opi’a Taino, Opi’a Taino International of St. Thomas, or the United Confederation of Taino People. This amendment to paragraph (j) would satisfy Article 3 on self-‐determination as per the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as well as give provenance to the registry documentation efforts of Opi’a Taino, Opi’a Taino International of St. Thomas, and the United Confederation of Taino People. In closing, the United Confederation of Taino People looks forward to the inclusion of these important amendments. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone 1.917.334.5658 or by email at [email protected]. The United Confederation of Taino People looks forward to continuing our work together for the dignity of not only our present, but our future generations. Sincerely, Roberto Múkaro Borrero
Roberto Múkaro Borrero President, United Confederation of Taino People UCTP – Office of International Relations and Regional Coordination PO Box 4515, New York, NY 10163 • [email protected] • www.uctp.org La Confederación Unida de el Pueblo Taíno, Oficina de Enlace en Borikén P.O. Box 495, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, 00601 • 787.414.2364 tel.

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