Elders from the Caribbean
Tai Pelli
Tai Pelli is a Taíno ceremonial leader and cultural practitioner devoted to the revival and protection of Taíno ancestral traditions of the Caribbean.
Her work emphasizes ceremony, sacred relationships with the elements, ancestral memory, and Indigenous identity, guiding people toward harmony with nature, community responsibility, and spiritual balance.
She is known for carrying teachings with humility, strength, and respect for lineage, serving as a bridge between ancient Taíno wisdom and contemporary life.
Pelli is widely recognized for making the contemporary presence of the Taíno people visible and for her role in international coalitions of Indigenous peoples. Her participation in events such as the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Conference (UNCCD COP16) strengthens her leadership as a Caribbean voice in the defense of Indigenous rights and environmental justice.
Kacique R. Múkaro Borrero
Kasike R. Múkaro Borrero is an internationally respected Taíno Kasike (chief) of the Guainía Taíno Tribe of Borikén (Puerto Rico) and a leading voice in the contemporary revival and defense of Taíno culture and Indigenous rights.
He is a human rights defender, cultural consultant, strategic advisor, writer, artist, and musician, drawing on over 25 years of experience engaging institutions such as the United Nations and the Organization of American States on Indigenous issues including land rights, cultural heritage, climate justice, and sustainable development.
He has participated in major global policy negotiations—such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Climate Agreement—bringing Caribbean Indigenous perspectives to global forums.
His creative work includes music, writing, and art that preserves and celebrates Taíno heritage, and he has contributed to museum exhibitions and documentary projects that counter the myth of Taíno extinction by affirming contemporary Indigenous presence