Brutal colonization practices, as well as the diseases introduced by Europeans, were long thought to have completely eradicated the Taíno. However, genetic studies of contemporary peoples of Puerto Rico have shown the persistence of Indigenous mitochondrial DNA lineages, and Indigenous (Ceramic-related) ancestry persists in present-day Puerto Rican and Cuban individuals. This finding has been embraced by Indigenous Caribbeans, who celebrate the resilience of their ancestors (20).
