The Backpackers Hostel Blog

Until Sun 19 Oct 2008

At Museu Barbier-Mueller d’Art Precolombí (C/ Montcada, 14) 3€ Buy tickets at the Museum

Tue – Fri from 11am to 7pm / Sat from 10am to 7pm / Sun and public holidays from 10 am to 3 pm
Mondays closed, except public holidays

First Sunday of the month, admission free from 10 am to 7 pm
Annual days closed: 1 January, Good Friday, 1 May, 24 June, 25 and 26 December.

In this exhibition, there are more than 50 pieces that explore the “Taino Culture”, the indigenous people found by the Spanish conquerors when they arrived in the New World.

The “Tainos” were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is believed that the seafaring “Tainos” were relatives of the Arawakan people of South America. Their language is a member of the Maipurean linguistic family, which ranges from South America across the Caribbean.

At the time of Columbus’s arrival in 1492, there were five “Taino” kingdoms and territories on Hispaniola (modern day Dominican Republic and Haiti).

Through a wood, stone carving selection, and written documents; the visitors can discover the “Taino” traditions and their rites in relation with the divinities. The more emphasized pieces are a wooden “duho” (low seat used by the Indians), a bird man or an anthropomorphic figure with tears on the cheek. (Taken from http://w3.bcn.es and www.barbier-mueller.ch & www.wikipedia.org).