page_title: Areíto
section_title: Varying accounts of Areíto from colonists
hierarchical_section_title: Areíto / Varying accounts of Areíto from colonists
caption_attribution_description: English: Drawing of an Areyto Ceremony of the Taínos
context_page_description: The areíto or areyto was a Taíno language word adopted by the Spanish colonizers to describe a type of religious song and dance performed by the Taíno people of the Caribbean. The areíto was a ceremonial act that was believed to narrate and honor the heroic deeds of Taíno ancestors, chiefs, gods, and cemis. Areítos involved lyrics and choreography and were often accompanied by varied instrumentation. They were performed in the central plazas of the villages and were attended by the local community members as well as members of neighboring communities.
context_section_description: Most of our information about areíto comes from the writings of Spanish colonizers. There are several primary accounts describing areíto in the Antilles from the period of early contact. Each account characterizes areíto slightly differently, leading to the terms broad, all encompassing nature. Areíto was a Taíno word that the Spanish adopted to describe epic poems, song-dances, ceremonies, festivals, performances, and ritual.
caption: A visual interpretation of an Areito or Areyto ceremony, presumably based on observations or drawings of Spanish colonizers.[8]
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