Yucayekeno Connect
Yucayekeno Connect is an innovative mobile application designed to combat the erasure of the Borikua Taino people by providing a platform for descendants to enroll and connect through traditional Yucayekeno (villages or territories). Rooted in the land-based matrilineal kinship systems of the Yucayekeno, this app will re-indigenize our nation's collective understanding of what a Yucayekeno is. Currently, there is no official enrollment system to document Borikua Taino descendants, making Yucayekeno Connect a pioneering initiative. It aims to revive and celebrate Taino heritage by allowing users to explore, document, and connect with their ancestral roots within the context of this matrilineal framework.
MIT Solve sought out solutions from Indigenous innovators in the US and Canada that build upon traditional knowledge and technology to meet the social, environmental, and economic goals of their communities. Borikua Taino Foundations Solution, “Yucayekeno Connect” has been selected as a semifinalist under the leadership of Priscilla Bell Lamberty and Bilqis Benu. Over $1M in prize funding is available to the most promising solutions (revealed in September). Follow along to see when finalists are announced!
Learn more about Solve’s Global Challenges, Indigenous Communities Fellowship, and our solution here:
