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Hatuey

♂ Boy

Pronounced hah-TWAY

Meaning: name of a Taino cacique who fled Hispaniola to Cuba to resist Spanish conquest; meaning not fully reconstructed

In 30 seconds: Taino name of the cacique who fled Hispaniola to Cuba to resist Spanish conquest — burned at the stake in 1512 and remembered as Cuba's first national hero.

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Origin Taino

Meaningname of a Taino cacique who fled Hispaniola to Cuba to resist Spanish conquest; meaning not fully reconstructed

History & Origin

Hatuey was a Taino cacique (chief) from the cacicazgo of Guahaba on Hispaniola who, around 1511, led a group of Taino across to eastern Cuba to escape Spanish violence and warn the Taino there of what was coming. He united local communities and waged a guerrilla resistance from the mountains. Captured by Spanish forces, he was burned at the stake at Yara on February 2, 1512. The friar Bartolomé de las Casas recorded his defiance, including his refusal of baptism so as not to share heaven with his oppressors. The original meaning of the name in the Arawakan Taino language has not been securely reconstructed, but Hatuey himself is well documented and is honored today as Cuba's first national hero.

Did you know? Told by a friar that Christians go to heaven, Hatuey reportedly asked whether the Spanish went there too — and on hearing yes, said he would rather go to hell, recorded by Bartolomé de las Casas.

Hatuey — Wikipedia — Documents Hatuey's flight from Hispaniola to Cuba, guerrilla resistance, and execution at Yara, Feb 2, 1512Feb. 2, 1512: Taíno Leader Hatuey Executed in Cuba — Zinn Education Project — Account of Hatuey's execution and the heaven/hell exchange recorded by Las Casas

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Hatuey…

Caonabo— Taino cacique of Hispaniola who likewise resisted the Spanish, same era and tradition

Agüeybaná— Great Taino cacique of Puerto Rico, another leader of Indigenous resistance

Guacanagarí— Taino cacique documented at first contact in 1492, same Arawakan Caribbean heritage

Anacaona— Revered Taino cacica of Hispaniola, kindred figure of resistance and memory

Frequently Asked

Who was Hatuey?

Hatuey was a Taino cacique who fled Hispaniola for eastern Cuba around 1511 to resist Spanish conquest and warn other Taino. He led a guerrilla resistance and was burned at the stake in 1512. He is honored as Cuba's first national hero.

How do you pronounce Hatuey?

ah-TWAY — pronounced roughly ah-too-AY, three syllables, with stress toward the end.

What does Hatuey mean?

The original meaning of Hatuey in the Arawakan Taino language has not been securely reconstructed. The name is remembered chiefly for the historical cacique who bore it.

Is Hatuey a boy or girl name?

Hatuey is a masculine name, borne by the historical male cacique.