How did the Taino people support themselves in Jamaica?

The Taino people, who settled in Jamaica around 800 CE, supported themselves through a combination of fishing and agriculture. Their economy was primarily based on the cultivation of cassava and corn (maize).1

In addition to these staples, the Taino practiced shifting agriculture, which involved clearing land by burning forest or scrub and creating mounds of soil and ash for planting. They also cultivated a variety of other crops, including:2

• Yams2
• Beans2
• Squash2
• Peanuts2
• Tobacco2
• Peppers2

For animal resources, the Taino kept dogs as domesticated animals and occasionally used parrots as decoys to hunt wild birds. This agricultural and fishing-based system successfully sustained a population estimated at as many as 60,000 people living in villages led by caciques (chieftains).21