Alia Bunting/ 207795578
September 17, 2008
European Intrusion and Impact / Assignment 2
Lynne Guitar, ‘No More Negotiation”: Slavery and The Destabilization of Colonial
Hispaniola’s Encomienda System,”, and Massimo Livi-Bacci, ‘Return to Hispaniola: Reassessing a
Demographic Catastrophe,”
Guitar in No More Negotiation and Livi-Bacci in Return to Hispaniola discuss the social and
political structure of the Taino culture within the Caribbean during the period of 1492 until around
1600. Each also discuss the social cultural aspects of the peoples pre and post Columbus’ colony, which
indicates that villages were set up in an extended familial arrangement, with a Caciques or chief whom
was the “over seer” of political or cultural ceremonies and practices.
Guitar writes on the class distinction and social scene pre-contact, as being somewhat hierarchical,
where two classes exist: the Nitainos/ nobles and the Behiques/healers and priests are the “first class”
while the Naborias/commoners are the “second class.” The article does not explore what any
differences in the daily life of the different classes might be, or how (if at all) they may interact with one
another. Guitar does suggest further on in the article how the Taino communities interacted with the
Spanish post-contact as political rule/colonization in the later stages (about 1550 onwards,) as
“encomenderos” married into Taino noble families (likely to take the women as concubines.)
Guitar does not suggest a great explanation of who the “encomenderos” were, or what their ruling
may have meant other than this marriage and political establishment in the villages. Guitar lastly
explains that an epidemic of small pox hit in 1518 and caused a large decline in population, and the
article does not extend much beyond this case.
Livi-Bacci writes a very in depth analysis of both the social- cultural aspects, as well as political.
He sources primary articles, although explains that many documents from the exact area are non
existent, so outside documents must be used.
Livi-Bacci discusses in great depth the social-cultural aspects of the Taino, much like Guitar and
focusing on similar points (such as the village arrangements, Caciques). However, unlike Guitar, there
is archaeological evidence surveyed which demonstrates how the villages were set up; with bohios
around a plaza, which the house of the Caciques would stand, and then outwards of this would be fields
for plant cultivation.
Livi-Bacci explores the political aspect, as well as a chronology of whom was colonizing at what
time, and the changes they made; Columbus (1492-1502) establishing the “first contact” and beginning
colonization, then Nicolas de Ovanto (1502-1508) who began taxation, administrative and judicial
systems, organized the first “Repartimento” in 1514 and distributed natives (to the) Spanish. The
Repartimento is described as slavery, and is named as a starting point of which the population begins to
decline. Another factor in population decline is noted in 1519 as small pox (however in Guitars’ article
it is noted in 1518). Due to the decline in population and the need for production in gold and sugar,
African slaves were brought over to the land.
Finally discusses is a four period model of population; the first period 1492-1505, with the contact of
Columbus and beginning of colonization. In this period population was in decline but organized
communities did still exist. Secondly was the period of 1514-1519, in this period the population had
become completely enslaved. The third period is 1520-1550, where remaining communities had been
destroyed, slaves were still very much in use, and maids were also being used in Spanish households,
where integration of the Taino into Spanish life begins. And finally the period of 1550 onwards, which
is described as the full integration of Taino and Spanish life, in which the genealogies are mixed and
Taino population disintegrates.