We might not have any Taino (or Arawak) blood because of their early extinction, but their culture and language still shows in our daily life, for example:
Bohio: thatch-roofed house, very common in rural parts of the country, the word is still used by campesinos, especially in the south.
Casabe: a Yucca bread originally made by the Taino, it's still a delicacy among Dominicans, especially with chicharron de puerco (pork fritter).
Mayimbe: Does anyone know Fernando Villalona? means tribe chief, mostly used in Cuba
Jicotea: land turtle (most Dominicans pronounce it Hicotea with a soft J sound)
Jaragua, Higuey, Bahoruco, etc., all names of provinces and/or towns
Borinquen: Taino name for Puerto Rico, means land of the valiant
Boricua: people that live in the land of the valiant
Haiti: name of the whole Island
Fotuto: home-made trumpet
Guay: expression of pain (Dominicans love using "Guay mi Mai"
colibri: picaflor (forgot the english translation) small bird
Huracan: Hurricane hura - viento (wind) can - centro (center)
Inagua: underskirt used by women
coki: small frog (used in Puerto Rico)
Guayo: used to grate Yucca for the casabe
Caribe: strong people, warriors (used: Caribbean sea, also, Dominicans say "Aji Caribe" meaning very hot pepper)
Hamaca: hammock
Cay: cayo, key (very small island)
chicha: fermented corn beer (used in Mexico
Cayuco: small boat
cibao: rock mountain
cocuyo: luminous insect (firefly)
cucubano: big cocuyo
cojiba: rolled tobacco
Carey: sea turtle (tortoise)
Canoa: small boat (canoe)
Cacique: chief (word used sarcastically for Politicians)
Cabuya: very fine thread from the Maguey (another taino word) palm
Maguey: native palm tree
Dajao: fresh water fish (still used by campesinos)
Guagua: their mode of transportation (Dominicans used to refer to public buses)
Jagua: fruit used widely in DR to make Jagua juice, very refreshing
Maraca: musical instrument
Guaraguao: bird that eats chickens
Iguana: big lizard
Guacara: cave (Guacara Taina - very famous night club in a cave)
Jaiba: fresh water crab (word is still used by all Dominicans)
Mucaro: bird similar to the eagle (well know to Dominican campesinos)
Jibaro: campesino (used in widely Puerto Rico)
Jimagua: twins (used widely in Puerto Rico)
Piragua: long boat (used in Colombia)
Aji: Picante (hot)
Ana: Flor Caona: de oro ANACAONA: Flor de Oro
Macuto: a bag made of palm leaves to carry fruits and viandas
Arepa: corn tortilla or cornmeal cake (used in Venezuela and DR)
Macana: Garrote (very widely used in DR to refer to policemen's sticks)
Barbacoa: Barbeque is a bad translation of the word barbacoa, a platform with for legs used for different purposes
Manati: sacred marine cow
Batey: it was their baseball game, also a sacred place, today used in the sugar cane plantations to house workers and their families
Sabana: big valley
Nigua: small insect
Nagua: tail cover or taparrabo (small white skirt used by Indians to cover their intimate parts)
Mabi: refreshing drink, very popular among Dominicans
Bija: Achiote
And last but not least:
Quisqueya: Aboriginal word for the Eastern part of Haiti (this is how they called the whole Island) meaning the place of the high lands.
