ES | EN

The Boricua Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean, known as the Taino, are the first indigenous peoples of the Americas who survived the horrors of Columbus and his men, survived U.S. colonization and have navigated and fought through centuries of forced imperialism, colonialism and the exploitation of our natural resources;

Because of this, many of our sacred artifacts, sacred sites, burial sites and ceremonial centers  have been desecrated, destroyed and stolen.

Now, the government is turning a blind eye to the devaluation, privatization and exploitation of our island, Taino sacred sites and natural resources.

Cueva del Indio, an archaeological and sacred site to the indigenous people of Puerto Rico (Boriken), located in Arecibo has been blocked with gates by a neighboring private owner; they have also commoditized this sacred space as an attraction by charging per person to enter the site which creates larger issues such as the overcrowding of unsupervised visitors, damage to our petroglyphs, environmental concerns such as littering, and the overall desecration of a spiritual space integral for Taino’s to practice their spirituality.
Click this link to watch a 20 minute documentary on the privatization of Cueva del Indio

Earlier this year the Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site, another archeological site integral to Taino spirituality and culture, which houses 13 ball courts, along with petroglyphs was at risk of being removed from the care of the Institute of culture in Puerto Rico and placed in the care of the municipality of Utuado, leaving the site open to privatization.
Click this link to read an article regarding Caguana 

Cities and Lands such as Dorado where investors and developers have been creating luxurious Caribbean Getaways and in turn creating private beaches have been the focus of many protests because by law, every beach in Puerto Rico should be open and accessible to the public.
Click here for an article on the Dorado Beach protests

The Camuy cave park has also recently made headlines regarding rumors that they were going to be sold or privatized, however a statement was made to acknowledge that the Authority for Public-Private Partnerships (AAPP) is carrying out an evaluation on the cave system to determine the next steps to take.
Click this link for additional information on Camuy

The indigenous people of Boriken, the natural citizens of Puerto Rico and the descendants of these lands deserve to be respected as the stewards and natural care takers of these sites and now we need your help 

We’re asking that you sign this petition to help us reach the Governor Puerto Rico

And anyone else that is willing to aid our fight in the preservation of our Sacred Spaces and ensure that the lands remain public and that the Taino people have access to them to practice their culture and spirituality freely as Indigenous peoples.

These agencies have a responsibility to protect and preserve these ancestral spaces for future generations and help us hold them accountable to their responsibility.