Treasures of the Taino Culture on Exhibit in Guadeloupe

The archaeological exhibit begins its international tour. This time from March 16-30 in the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.

Guadeloupe, March 19, 2019 – After a successful tour in the city of Santiago, the Dominican Republic’s second largest city, the archaeological exhibit “Treasures of the Taino Culture” has returned to the international circuit by opening in the Memorial ACTe Museum in Guadeloupe, in the French Antilles.
After successful exhibits in Spain, Colombia and Santiago, the exhibit “Treasures of the Taino Culture” is now on exhibit at the ACTe Memorial Museum in Guadeloupe.

The exhibit has been a joint project carried out by curators from various Caribbean institutions, such as Dominique Bonnissent, from the ACTe Memorial Museum and Carlos Andújar, from the Dominican Centro León.

“In the name of the Eduardo León Jimenes Foundation and the Centro León, we thank the Memorial ACTe Museum, Jacques Martial, and other institutions that have warmly opened their doors to make this exhibit a reality. Most especially, we would like to thank the French Embassy in Santo Domingo for making possible this fruitful relationship between our institutions, in support of a project that, without a doubt, will strengthen the ties of friendship and dialogue between the people of the Caribbean,” explained María Amalia León de Jorge, director of the Eduardo León Jimenes Foundation and the Centro León, during the opening ceremony.

Jacques Martial, president of the Memorial ACTe Museum, also highlighted the importance of the exhibit “because it is a way of discussing our Caribbean region, the West Indies, who we are, our history…These are some of the issues we want to address through this exhibit.”

The opening of the exhibit coincided with a special meeting of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States where the archipielago of Guadeloupe made its formal entry as a new member of the institution.
The Heads of State and representatives from the other participating islands attended the opening event: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Martinique and Guadeloupe, the host country.

“Treasures of the Taino Culture” will be on exhibit in the city of Pointe-à-Pitre until June 30, 2019.

THE EXHIBIT

The exhibit consists of seven modules that reflect the culture of the Tainos before the arrival of the Europeans to these lands. On exhibit are pieces made of stone, clay, wood, conch shells and bones. Also exhibited: axes, amulets, pottery, ceremonial pieces, necklaces and musical instruments.

The Dominican Republic, through the Centro León, has contributed 207 pieces to the exhibit. Also included are photographs, ethnographic objects and other images. The exhibit also includes eight pieces from the García Arévalo Foundation, six from the Academy of Sciences of the Dominican Republic, and two from the Altos de Chavón Regional Archaeological

From Guadeloupe, there are 58 archaeological pieces exhibited on loan from the Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Guadeloupe, the Edgar Clerc Museum, the Departmental Council of Guadeloupe, and the Regional Council of Guadeloupe and from the private collection of Dr. François Petit.

During his opening remarks, Mr. Andújar explained that the exhibit is not an isolated presentation but rather a dialogue with the host institution that led to the archaeological section titled Cacibajagua and Kytangomino. These sections reflect the presence of the Taino culture in Guadeloupe.

The exhibit also brings together pieces of contemporary Dominican art, such as the pieces titled Todxs, Nosotrxs and Ellxs, by artist Eliazar Ortiz, winner of the 27th Eduardo León Jimenes Art Contest and the ACTe Memorial Award.

The exhibit received excellent reviews during its exposition at the Modern Art Institute of Valencia and the City Hall of the city of Cádiz, in Spain in 2012. Also, in the Antioquía Museum in Medellín, Colombia in 2017.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:
María Amalia León de Jorge, Director of the Eduardo León Jimenes Foundation and the Centro León, and Jacques Martial, Presidente of the del ACTe Memorial Museum, accompanied by the Heads of State and representatives from the other member nations of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.