It all happened so fast. Ships coming into the shore line and landing, women, men and children screaming, the white people claimed they found this land. We, the Tainos, raised our children here before the white people arrived. It was the beginning of a new hell.
The day they arrived was the day we thought we would die. The worst thing to say is, I wished we died that day. We were all pulled into a circle and this white man named Columbus gave us instructions. We were to find gold and a certain amount of it. If we didn’t we paid the price. This land was his now. As unfair as it was, we were out numbered. His people were armed with weapons such as muzzle loaders, battle axes, machetes, and armour. My dearest friend tried to rebel and declare his words of freedom, but Columbus killed him where he stood. We were too frightened and we didn’t know what to do. The men disposed of the body. Columbus protested if we didn’t do what was told we would be put to death.
I remember one day we were standing in line to hand in our gold and the man in front of me didn’t have any in his hands. Columbus’ men didn’t let the man put one word in, the grabbed his hand and chopped it off at the wrist. I witnessed the whole ordeal. It was incredibly painful to just stand there and watch this go down.
Us, Tainos put up with a lot while Columbus was our “ruler”. There was slavery, discrimination, abuse, sprees of murders, starvation, and the fear death always crossed our minds. This is our story.
Miranda Deline
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Columbus
Once upon a time, many, many years ago the daily ceremonies were taking place within the our camp. All the kids were having a good time playing with the dogs and unicorns, when suddenly one of the elders from across the camp, spotted three large boats coming in from far out in the sea. Quickly everyone gathered the children and waited for the new comers to arrive. All of us Taino’s were ready with our weapons and ninja skills just in case the new people were dangerous and wanted war.
Once the new people arrived, everyone stood in awe at what had just come. We all looked at each other like “what do we do next?”, and finally one of the new comers started to speak. No one understood anything this person was saying, but from the gestures he was using, it seemed like he was very angry and wanted us to give him our weapons. After some violent throwing of the fists and yelling in foreign languages, we suddenly were all forced to spread around our land and dig for who knows what. Whenever one of us would find anything that they wanted, we would have to give it up before we could even examine it. After digging for days and days, the new comers finally let us have a break while they talked in that same mysterious tone.
During the night, the new comers would go into the bushes until morning, and we could spend our evenings around the fire. The torture never seemed to stop, and through the whole thing, we learned that the main chef of the new comers, was the hated one. Even his traveler buddies seemed to despise him and only the chef ever called us the terrible word; Indians. We only understood about three words that ever came out of his mouth and most you didn't want to hear.
When we all thought it was over, it only got worse. A lot of people from camp were killed in horrific ways and no one had a reason why. When the people brought over big things that looked very dangerous, they only made us work with them. We were forced to work with the supplies that we had worked days for, and if it was done wrong, away with the hands of the workers. If anything ever got caught or hut, one of the people would gladly get it out for you or take the pain away, with his axe. We all came to the agreement that this horrible experience would never be spoken of again if we could help it, and the newcomers would get a taste of their own medicine one day.
Caitlyn Gray
Once the new people arrived, everyone stood in awe at what had just come. We all looked at each other like “what do we do next?”, and finally one of the new comers started to speak. No one understood anything this person was saying, but from the gestures he was using, it seemed like he was very angry and wanted us to give him our weapons. After some violent throwing of the fists and yelling in foreign languages, we suddenly were all forced to spread around our land and dig for who knows what. Whenever one of us would find anything that they wanted, we would have to give it up before we could even examine it. After digging for days and days, the new comers finally let us have a break while they talked in that same mysterious tone.
During the night, the new comers would go into the bushes until morning, and we could spend our evenings around the fire. The torture never seemed to stop, and through the whole thing, we learned that the main chef of the new comers, was the hated one. Even his traveler buddies seemed to despise him and only the chef ever called us the terrible word; Indians. We only understood about three words that ever came out of his mouth and most you didn't want to hear.
When we all thought it was over, it only got worse. A lot of people from camp were killed in horrific ways and no one had a reason why. When the people brought over big things that looked very dangerous, they only made us work with them. We were forced to work with the supplies that we had worked days for, and if it was done wrong, away with the hands of the workers. If anything ever got caught or hut, one of the people would gladly get it out for you or take the pain away, with his axe. We all came to the agreement that this horrible experience would never be spoken of again if we could help it, and the newcomers would get a taste of their own medicine one day.
Caitlyn Gray
The Truth about Columbus
It was a windy and cloudy day when they first arrived here. They came with three boats. When they came to our land, we were wondering what they were doing here. Many of our people gathered around with questionable faces. Even though we could not understand them, we helped them survive the winter. But in return many of us were taken to be slaves and never returned.
When they came back, we were forced to work for our own lives. We had to mine gold for the man Columbus. If we tried to run or if we didn’t gather enough gold, our hands would be cut off. Many of us were killed by fire, being hung and guns and swords. We tried to fight but each time we fought more of our people died. Columbus had many weapons and we were no match for his weapons, but we didn’t lose hope.
When they came back, we were forced to work for our own lives. We had to mine gold for the man Columbus. If we tried to run or if we didn’t gather enough gold, our hands would be cut off. Many of us were killed by fire, being hung and guns and swords. We tried to fight but each time we fought more of our people died. Columbus had many weapons and we were no match for his weapons, but we didn’t lose hope.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Columbus, the Hero?
It was a day the same as every other day. Me and my men went out for our daily hunt. Our wives and children were at the camp making clothes and gathering food. We needed all the resources we could get, so every one worked together as a group and shared what we had. We were having bad luck on our hunting trip, but decided we should keep looking for a while longer.
One of my men yelled out, “that way, something is coming!” Our hunting tribe charged towards the animal. Quickly I commanded the men to stop, because it was not an animal. It was my daughter, she came to me running, crying and screaming. I had to listen carefully to understand her speedy words. Her message was difficult to understand for all of us including her. Someone had come to shore on massive boats.
There was not only a few people either. There were armies of men, with weapons. They could over power us in a second, but we needed to try and protect our land and people. We ran the fastest we could to get to where the commotion was coming from, and found a terrible sight. The strange people had invaded our land. This was very insulting to us, a man who seemed to be the leader told us his name was Columbus. The mysterious man said he was from another land. He needed what our land had, but he said the land was his. No one understood, we lived here, he came and now the land was his?
Columbus and his men forced my tribe to do things that we did not want to do. He threatened us, if we did not do what he wanted we would be tortured. My people were forced to find gold and take it back to Columbus, if we did not get the required amount we would have our hands brutally chopped off. Columbus brought fear to all of us.
Anything he wanted us to do we did. Farming sugarcane was an order, some of my men were put in danger everyday producing the sugarcane. The machines used were extremely difficult to use and you could easily get your clothing or even hands caught in. If this happened your hand or arm would simply be cut off. Running away was even worse than staying. You did not have much chance of actually getting away. If you were caught you would be hanged or burnt to death. Aside from the work and danger Columbus brought to our land him and his men, savagely raped our women, no mercy was felt by Columbus. Yet he is thought of as a hero who "found" the new land for people today.
Check it out!
One of my men yelled out, “that way, something is coming!” Our hunting tribe charged towards the animal. Quickly I commanded the men to stop, because it was not an animal. It was my daughter, she came to me running, crying and screaming. I had to listen carefully to understand her speedy words. Her message was difficult to understand for all of us including her. Someone had come to shore on massive boats.
There was not only a few people either. There were armies of men, with weapons. They could over power us in a second, but we needed to try and protect our land and people. We ran the fastest we could to get to where the commotion was coming from, and found a terrible sight. The strange people had invaded our land. This was very insulting to us, a man who seemed to be the leader told us his name was Columbus. The mysterious man said he was from another land. He needed what our land had, but he said the land was his. No one understood, we lived here, he came and now the land was his?
Columbus and his men forced my tribe to do things that we did not want to do. He threatened us, if we did not do what he wanted we would be tortured. My people were forced to find gold and take it back to Columbus, if we did not get the required amount we would have our hands brutally chopped off. Columbus brought fear to all of us.
Anything he wanted us to do we did. Farming sugarcane was an order, some of my men were put in danger everyday producing the sugarcane. The machines used were extremely difficult to use and you could easily get your clothing or even hands caught in. If this happened your hand or arm would simply be cut off. Running away was even worse than staying. You did not have much chance of actually getting away. If you were caught you would be hanged or burnt to death. Aside from the work and danger Columbus brought to our land him and his men, savagely raped our women, no mercy was felt by Columbus. Yet he is thought of as a hero who "found" the new land for people today.
Check it out!
Columbus Story
Once open time we were living our life. It was a cold day when we r our daily food. When were hunting we saw a boat coming from the far we were scared and very nervous. We ran back and told everybody that a ship is coming. We got a welcome feast ready for the boat. The boat showed up and 2 men walked down to the shore we started dancing and singing when the men yelled! “Stop this noise” so we stopped. He was a tall man and was decked out in gold.The other guy looked like us he was tied up with rope and he was beat up. The man yelled his name it was Cristorpher he said to us “I have came to claim this land”. My people yelled NO! we were here first we claimed this land so leave. The man moved towards us reached back in to his pocket and pulled out a gun and started shooting he shot at the people we all ran has people were falling behind us yelling in pain. The man was on a rampage he caught some of our wife and tied them up and threw in his boat he chased everyone up into the mountains. We were all scared for our lives. Our wife are in trouble we got our weapons ready to go fight back. We started walking towards the boat when we saw a army of boat coming towards the shores we were definitely out numbered we ran back to mountains. The big man sent us a letter that our wife was killed and you better leave and let us claim this land. There was 4 big boats at the shore there were an army of people coming towards the mountains with our wives tied up on a stick with weapons they started shooting and we ran towards them to fight. We had arrows spears and bows as they had shotguns and handguns. We charged as most of our men fell to there death as they were getting shot i decided it wasn’t worth my death so i ran back up the mountain and went to the other side and hid in a cave. I hid for months eating food that came into the cave I walked up to the top of the mountain and looked over the top and I was surprised to what I saw. There were villages set up all over the places with white people living there. I ran towards to my cave I had no clue what to do. I went down to the bottom of the mountain and saw the big gates to the villages I decided to go in and thats when my world was turned around i was shot and now im here telling you how the evil man took over our world.
Story
The Story
Derek Clayton
One day I was standing alone way ahead of my tribe looking over a hill at the water. I saw this little boat that had a man standing on the end of the point on his ship. He looked like a rich man and he looked like he was coming to look for something. Me and my tribe started to walk down the hill to keep on your hunting adventure. We had along walk but we ended up at the waters edge. The boat that I saw was on the shore and the sound of men were making my tribe scared because they thought they were giants. A man came down he looked like a white gangster boy came jumping down and put a pole in the ground. He said he claimed this land by right of discovery.
I walked up to him and said this is my land I discovered it back off man. Then this white gangsta man pulled out a paper and yelled! Give me gold and find it now! He made my people wear these things on there necks and when they brought back enough gold for the gangsta dude he would put a hole on the necklace so my people didn’t get killed. Some of my people got tired and tried to run away but the guy sent dogs after my people and killed them. Some of my people could not get the right amount of gold and there hands would get chopped off. It was worst for me I had to bring back double the load then my other tribe members.
He left for awhile and he brought back more people. They seemed like creeps they were touching my people and shooting them. I was freaking out and I told my tribe we were not going to take it anymore we decided to fight back and take this white boy gangster down and kill him. We gathered our Spears and all of the available rocks and boulders. We all assembled in a line and charged. Gun shots went flying by ours heads and makes a splat and one of the my tribe members dropped dead. We started throwing our Spears and rocks taking out some people but they over powered us with all there military power and guns. We retreated back to the gold fields.
Derek Clayton
One day I was standing alone way ahead of my tribe looking over a hill at the water. I saw this little boat that had a man standing on the end of the point on his ship. He looked like a rich man and he looked like he was coming to look for something. Me and my tribe started to walk down the hill to keep on your hunting adventure. We had along walk but we ended up at the waters edge. The boat that I saw was on the shore and the sound of men were making my tribe scared because they thought they were giants. A man came down he looked like a white gangster boy came jumping down and put a pole in the ground. He said he claimed this land by right of discovery.
I walked up to him and said this is my land I discovered it back off man. Then this white gangsta man pulled out a paper and yelled! Give me gold and find it now! He made my people wear these things on there necks and when they brought back enough gold for the gangsta dude he would put a hole on the necklace so my people didn’t get killed. Some of my people got tired and tried to run away but the guy sent dogs after my people and killed them. Some of my people could not get the right amount of gold and there hands would get chopped off. It was worst for me I had to bring back double the load then my other tribe members.
He left for awhile and he brought back more people. They seemed like creeps they were touching my people and shooting them. I was freaking out and I told my tribe we were not going to take it anymore we decided to fight back and take this white boy gangster down and kill him. We gathered our Spears and all of the available rocks and boulders. We all assembled in a line and charged. Gun shots went flying by ours heads and makes a splat and one of the my tribe members dropped dead. We started throwing our Spears and rocks taking out some people but they over powered us with all there military power and guns. We retreated back to the gold fields.
Columbus is a Bed Intruder
We saw a few boats, with a big man and some other men on it. He had guns, swords, dogs, machetes, and battle axes. All that wondered our minds was why these strange people were coming to our lands. He invaded our land and claimed it saying it was his clearly it was not. He started demanding us to find him gold and threatening us if we didn’t. He would chop off our hands if we didn't have enough gold or none. He started taking our women away and raping them. Some of our people tried to escape but if they were caught they were either hung or burned to death. Eventually many of our people died so we made a army to fight back. We had no weapons but we were fighting for our people, but we were defeated. There wasn’t much we could do but wait for our deaths to arrive.
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