Hatuey
Hatuey of Guahabá | |
---|---|
Cacique of Guahabá[1] | |
Born | Late 15th century Hispaniola |
Died | 2 February 1512 Baracoa, Cuba |
Known for | Being Cuba's "first national hero." |
Hatuey (
He later attained legendary status for leading a group of natives in a fight against the invasion of the Spaniards, thus becoming one of the first fighters against
Life and death
In 1511, Diego Velázquez set out from Hispaniola to conquer what is now known as the island of Cuba and subjugate Cuba's indigenous people, the Taíno, who had previously been recorded by Christopher Columbus. Velázquez was preceded, however, by Hatuey, who fled Hispaniola with a party of four hundred in canoes and warned some of the Native people of eastern Cuba about what to expect from the Spaniards.[3]
- 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...[4]
The Taíno chiefs in Cuba did not respond to Hatuey's message, and few joined him to fight. Hatuey resorted to guerrilla tactics against the Spaniards, and was able to confine them for a time. He and his fighters were able to kill at least eight Spanish soldiers. Eventually, using mastiffs and torturing the native people for information, the Spaniards succeeded in capturing him. On 2 February 1512, he was tied to a stake and burned alive at Yara, near the present-day city of Bayamo.[5]
Before he was burned, a priest asked Hatuey if he would accept Jesus and go to heaven. Las Casas recalled the reaction of the chief:
- [Hatuey], thinking a little, asked the religious man if Spaniards went to heaven. The religious man answered yes... The chief then said without further thought that he did not want to go there but to hell so as not to be where they were and where he would not see such cruel people. This is the name and honour that God and our faith have earned.[6][7]
Legacy
Hatuey is considered "Cuba's first national hero" and one of the earliest fighters against
Hatuey also lives on as a
The logo of the Cuban cigar and cigarette brand Cohiba is a picture of Hatuey.
In a 2010 film shot in Bolivia, Even the Rain, Hatuey is a main character in the film-within-the-film. The film ncludes a cinematic account of Hatuey's execution.[13]
Fine arts
The imagery of Hatuey has been appropriated and/or incorporated into diverse artistic genres, most notably into the Afro-Cuban Yiddish Opera, "Hatuey: Memory of Fire".[14][15][16] In the visual arts, multiple artists have used the Taíno chief's image, most notably Cuban-American artist Ric Garcia,[17] U.S. Marine Corps artist Donald Dickson,[18] and Australian artist damefine,[19] among others.
See also
- List of Taínos
- Taíno people
References
- ^ a b "Taínos: Past & Present". Powhatan Museum. Archived from the original on Mar 27, 2023.
- ^ a b Running Fox, 'The Story of Cacique Hatuey, Cuba's First National Hero', La Voz del Pueblo Taíno (The Voice of the Taíno People) (United Confederation of Taíno People, U.S. Regional Chapter, January 1998)
- ^ J. A. Sierra. 'The Legend of Hatuey', The History of Cuba (August 2006). Retrieved September 9, 2006.
- ISBN 0-14-044562-5[page needed]
- ^ Barreiro, Jose "A Note on Taino," in Akwe, Cornell, View From the Shore, Pon Press, 1990[page needed]
- ISBN 0-664-25367-9.
- ^ Brevísima relación de la destruición de las Indias, Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. "Él, pensando un poco, preguntó al religioso si iban cristianos al cielo. El religioso le respondió que sí, pero que iban los que eran buenos. Dijo luego el cacique, sin más pensar, que no quería él ir allá, sino al infierno, por no estar donde estuviesen y por no ver tan cruel gente. Ésta es la fama y honra que Dios y nuestra fe ha ganado con los cristianos que han ido a las Indias."
- ^ Klein, Lee. Hatuey Beer Returns as a Microbrew. Miami New Times, Dec. 6, 2011.
- ^ "Bacardi Launches National Distribution of Hatuey". Brewbound. 2014-11-21. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
- ^ Soda Pop Stop Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Quaffmaster. "Malta Hatuey". Weird Soda Review. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
- ^ "Hatuey".
- ^ Holden, Stephen (2011-02-17). "Discovering Columbus's Exploitation". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-11-15.
- ^ Bronxnet. "OPEN Artist Spotlight with cast of Hatuey: Memory of Fire". Bronxnet. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
- ^ "Afro-Cuban Yiddish opera with music by The Klezmatics' Frank London". Arts & Cultural Programming. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
- ^ "Hatuey Memory Of Fire". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
- ^ "Hatuey: Rebel Chief – MARYLAND MILESTONES". Retrieved 2020-08-24.
- ^ Conner, Owen L. (2020-08-06). "The Drinks of the Marine Corps: Hatuey Beer". National Museum of the Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
- ^ "Hatuey Chooses Hell by damefine". www.deviantart.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.