#guadalupe

White cows in Guadalupe, Mexico

This prayer is a rewrite of sorts from an old novena I wrote, and has a partner prayer to Saint Juan Diego for greater trust in prayer, which can be found here

May we never forget, most gracious Virgin, mother of Guadalupe, that during your appearance to Saint Juan Diego on the mount of Tepeyac, you promised to show compassion and sweetness to all who, trusting in the love of our Lord, seek out your help towards their needs and affliction. You promised to hear our grief, dry our tears, and help us find consolation and relief.

Mother of Guadalupe, I place myself here at your feet and beg you to place your mantle across my shoulders. My soul is dry, and my faith is barren, and I fear to place myself before the Lord when my heart is so sorely lacking in love for Him. Draw me close to the Divine Infant held against your breast; show me how to best love Him. Help me follow in your footsteps, magnifying the Lord just as you do, and pray that I may grow in love of the Child on my lap. Pray I might have the strength of heart to take Him in my arms, and mark myself as Christ's own forever.

Our Lady, the Mystical Rose, the water of the desert, pray for me, and show me the best ways to widen my heart. Mother of the True God, patroness of the Americans, obtain for me from your most holy Son the grace of faith. I may come to love your Baby as you love Him, and kiss His face with the same adoration that you do. Pray for me, Mother of Guadalupe, that I may love Christ!

Here’s me in front of the biggest century plants I’ve ever seen in my life

Modern Taíno identity and heritage is not limited to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba, even though those islands are often most centered in public discussion.

Contemporary Taíno identity includes people across the Greater Antilles and the wider Caribbean, including:

Puerto Rico (Borikén)

the Dominican Republic (Quisqueya / Ayiti)

Cuba (Cubanacán / Cubao)

Haiti (Ayiti / Quisqueya)

Jamaica (Xaymaca)

the Bahamas (Bimini / Contemporarily, they are the Lucayan people)

diaspora communities across the Americas and beyond

Photo source

Across this region, there are also yukayekes and Taíno-affiliated community groups with members and participation in multiple islands, including Haiti and Jamaica. These communities vary in size, structure, and visibility, but they reflect the broader reality that Taíno identity and heritage today is trans-Caribbean rather than confined to a few locations.

It is important to understand Taínos are something that is not strictly defined by modern political borders or nation-state boundaries. Instead, it is shaped through:

family oral histories

cultural memory and continuity

community affiliation

participation in contemporary Taíno revival spaces

A wider Caribbean framework

While public conversations often focus on a few islands, the historical Taíno world was interconnected across the Greater and Lesser Antilles. Contemporary identity reflects that broader geography, even when modern community structures look different from place to place.

In this sense, Taínos today are best understood as both:

regionally grounded in specific island communities

and trans-Caribbean in its contemporary expressions and reconnections

Why this matters

Recognizing Taíno presence across Haiti, Jamaica, and other Caribbean spaces helps avoid narrowing Indigenous Caribbean identity into a limited geographic frame. It reflects the reality that contemporary Taíno communities are not confined to a single island or political boundary, but exists across a wider network of communities and relationships. Also, unfortunately- it has to be said out loud because many purposely exclude these islands and people due to their skin color. In order to decolonize and restore our communities, we cannot indulge anti-blackness nor colorism. Similarly, we cannot indulge in genderism and homophobia. It contributes to aspects of our culture being erased, minimized, and dismissed. It's simply wrong.