Today, Jamaicans mark Taino Day in honor of the Caribbean country’s indigenous peoples. The Tainos inhabited the island hundreds of years prior to the arrival of Europeans in 1494. Their rich culture, including food and language, can be observed in Jamaica’s way of life today.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Tracing Our Taino Ancestry,” and the Jamaican National Heritage Trust will be hosting a public lecture at the Institute of Jamaica located in Kingston. In addition, there will be a public exhibition of Taino artifacts. The JNHT started celebrating Taino Day five years ago in hopes of educating citizens about their various contributions to society. The group is asking schools across the nation to take time out to remember the people, whose history is often pushed aside in other national celebrations.

(Photo: Melissa Jean Miller/BET Digital)