Queen Anacaona I (Native Haitian), Ulrick Jean-Pierre

Women have been central to Haiti’s history from the moment of first contact with Europeans. In this painting, Jean-Pierre portrays Anacaona, a young Taíno chief, or cacica. Born in 1474, Anacaona was renowned equally for her literary talents as a poet and composer of arietos, or dances, and for her legendary leadership. In 1496, Anacaona became one of the first Indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola to negotiate with Christopher Columbus and the arriving Spaniards. Although initial interactions between the Taíno
and Spanish were civil, relations quickly soured as Taíno leaders
realized their lands were being stolen and their people enslaved. After years of rebellion and violence, Anacaona was captured and executed by the Spanish in 1503. Her death cemented her reputation as a symbol against European colonization, while her artistic spirit and legacy continue to inspire Haitians today. In fact, the 2018 KU Common Book author Edwidge Danticat wrote an award-winning novel dedicated to Anacaona in 2005.

Although Haiti is most commonly associated with its French colonial heritage, the island of Hispaniola—of which Haiti forms the western half—was originally settled by Christopher Columbus and the Spaniards. Among the first native Haitians, or Taíno, Columbus and his crew encountered was a young Taíno Cacica, or Chief, named Anacaona—a word that translates to “golden flower” in the Taíno language. Anacaona was born in 1474 in Maguana (near present-day Léogâne), where her brother Bohechío was chief. She later married another chief named Caonabo. While her family and marital connections no doubt helped cement Anacaona’s high status, the native Haitian practice of passing power and privilege through the mother’s line also likely helped reinforce her position.

Anacaona was a leader (known as cacica or chief) of a major Taíno territory of Xaragua, part of the island Kiskeya (modern day Haiti, tap the web icon to view a map) when Christopher Columbus visited the island in 1492 and again in 1496. Along with her brother and husband, she welcomed Columbus and the other Spaniards, but was ultimately killed by the Spanish in 1503. Our history of Anacaona comes through secondhand colonial accounts of the island and oral traditions. The following account of her death comes from A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies by Bartolome de las Casas (Tap the web icon to see an engraving of Anacaona’s death that accompanied this passage):

“Their King was Behechio by name and who had a Sister called Anacaona, and both the Brother as well as Sister had loaded the Spaniards with Benefits and singular acts of Civility, and by delivering them from the evident and apparent danger of Death, did signal services to the Castilian Kings. Behechio dying the supreme power of the Kingdom fell to Anacaona: But it hapned one day, that the Governour of an Island, attended by 60 Horse, and 30 Foot (now the Cavalry was sufficiently able to unpeople not only the Isle, but also the whole Continent) he summoned about 300 Dynasta's, or Noblemen to appear before him, and commanded the most powerful of them, being first crouded into a Thatcht Barn or Hovel, to be exposed to the fury of the merciless Fire, and the rest to be pierced with Lances, and run through with the point of the Sword, by a multitude of Men: And Anacaona herself who (as we said before,) sway'd the Imperial Scepter, to her greater honor was hanged on a Gibbet…”

Another Spanish source describes her as unusually talented in composing arietos, or Taíno poetry, dance, and music. In more recent Haitian history, her story has taken on a powerful message of rebellion and female power.