About the Book
The Taíno ABCs, written by Lynne A. Guitar (Ph.D.) and illustrated by Joel Villalona, provides a glimpse into the rich lexicon and culture of the Taíno Indians of the Hispanic Caribbean, whose language was used as a common trade language among the varied groups of Natives who had populated the Caribbean islands for thousands of years before Europeans and Africans arrived. Pronunciation guides of the Taíno words used are provided for English and French speakers, as well as a reference guide for those who wish to learn more about the Taíno. LYNNE A. GUITAR (Ph.D.) has studied the Taínos for more than 25 years. She earned two B.A.s from Michigan State University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University. Lynne lived in the Dominican Republic for 19 years and one year in Puerto Rico. JOEL A. VILLALONA CASTILLO, a multi-talented Dominican artist, was born in San Juan de la Maguana, a region long renowned for its strong Taíno heritage. He was trained in Santiago de los Caballeros, where he now resides, at the School of Fine Arts, Casa de Arte, and Eduardo León Jimenes Cultural Center. --- El Abecedario de los Taíno, escrito por Lynne A. Guitar (Ph.D.) e ilustrado por Joel Villalona, ofrece un vistazo al rico léxico y a la cultura de los indios taínos del Caribe Hispano, cuyo lenguaje se usó como un lenguaje comercial común entre los variados grupos de nativos que habían poblado las islas del Caribe durante miles de años antes de que llegaran los europeos y los africanos. Se proporcionan guías de pronunciación de las palabras en taíno para los hablantes de inglés y francés, así como una guía de referencia para aquellos que deseen aprender más sobre los taínos. LYNNE A. GUITAR (Ph.D.) ha estudiado los taínos por más de 25 años. Ella obtuvo dos B.A.s de la Universidad de Michigan State y una maestría y doctorado de la Universidad de Vanderbilt. Lynne vivió en la República Dominicana durante 19 años y un año en Puerto Rico. JOEL A. VILLALONA CASTILLO, artista dominicano de múltiples talentos, nació en San Juan de la Maguana, una región reconocida por su fuerte herencia taína. Se formó en Santiago de los Caballeros, donde ahora reside, en la Escuela de Bellas Artes, la Casa de Arte y el Centro Cultural Eduardo León Jimenes. --- L'Alphabet Taíno, écrit par Lynne A. Guitar (Ph.D.) et illustré par Joel Villalona, donne un aperçu du riche lexique et de la culture des Indiens Taíno des Caraïbes Hispaniques, dont la langue était utilisée comme langue commerciale commune parmi les divers groupes d'indigènes qui avaient peuplé les îles des Caraïbes pendant des milliers d'années avant que les Européens et les Africains n'arrivent. Les guides de prononciation des mots Taíno utilisés sont fournis pour les anglophones et les francophones, ainsi qu'un guide de référence pour ceux qui souhaitent en savoir plus sur le Taíno. LYNNE A. GUITAR (Ph.D.) a étudié les taínos pendant plus de 25 ans. Elle a obtenu deux baccalauréats de l'Université du Michigan State et une maîtrise et un doctorat de l'Université Vanderbilt. Lynne a vécu en République Dominicaine pendant 19 ans et un an à Porto Rico. JOEL A. VILLALONA CASTILLO, artiste dominicain aux multiples talents, est né à San Juan de la Maguana, une région longtemps connue pour son fort héritage taíno. Il a été formé à Santiago de los Caballeros, où il réside actuellement, à l'École des Beaux-Arts, à la Casa de Arte et au Centre Culturel Eduardo León Jimenes.
About the Author: Lynne Guitar earned dual B.A.s, one in Latin American History and one in Cultural Anthropology from Michigan State University, then was awarded a fellowship to Vanderbilt University, where she earned her M.A. and then a Ph.D. in 1998, in Colonial Latin American History, with the equivalent of a minor in Cultural Anthropology. Lynne lived, worked, and studied in Puerto Rico for half a year and won several graduate-student grants, including one that enabled her to study at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., another to study at the various archives in Spain for half a year, and a year-long Fulbright Fellowship to complete her doctoral studies in the Dominican Republic in 1997-98, where she remained for the next 18 years-nearly two decades. Her doctoral dissertation, "Cultural Genesis: Relationships among Africans, Indians, and Spaniards in Rural Hispaniola, first half of the sixteenth century" was one of the first to explore in-depth the myth of Taíno extinction-and to reject it! She worked for the Guácara Taína in Santo Domingo, and taught Spanish, English, and History at a bilingual high school in Santo Domingo. In 2004, she became Resident Director of CIEE, the Council on International Educational Exchange, in Santiago, at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra or PUCMM-until her retirement in December of 2015. She now dedicates her time to education and writing, principally about Taínos. Lynne has written many articles and chapters for various historical journals and books, has starred in more than a dozen documentaries about the Dominican Republic and Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, including documentaries for the BBC, History Channel, and Discovery Channel, and has been invited several times to speak at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in both New York City and Washington, D.C. She has published a 10-book series for Young Adults (ages 10 to 110) called the Taíno Ni Rahú Series about 15th-century Taínos, their daily lives and beliefs at the very moment that Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean and changed their lives forever. The illustrator of THE TAINO ABCs is the multi-talented Dominican artist Joel A. Villona Castillo, who has won many awards and honorable mentions for his paintings and sculptures at both national and international levels. He is originally from San Juan de la Maguna, renowned for its strong Taíno heritage, and currently resides in Santiago de los Caballeros.
