The Closing of the Taino Inter-Tribal Council Org.

From the staff, 7 January 2001

The Taino Inter-Tribal Council, Inc.
527 Mulberry Street
Millville, New Jersey 08360

January 7, 2001

Dear Inter-Tribal Members,

The Taino Inter-Tribal Council educational and cultural non-profit organization will be closing it doors in the month of January 2001. The TITC organization will be placed in a state of inactivity until further notice.

The reasons for this action are as follows; I have been the Registered Business Agent of the TITC (Taino Inter-Tribal Council) for several years helping to keep the organization viable and afloat. Continuously, during all these years, letters and e-mail messages were sent to the membership, and many articles were published in the TITC Newsletter (The Taino Indian-Land Review), formally requesting and pleading for membership participation in our open organizational monthly meetings. During these meetings, the same three or four people including myself were the only people out of the entire membership taking part. In the end I had finally realized that keeping the organization running was a total waste of time beating and trying to revive a dead horse.

The second reason for this decision is due to the lack of interest by the membership in assuming the leadership positions of the TITC Board of Directors (President, Secretary, Treasurer and Trustees). With the December 2000 resignations of the Acting President and other officers, the organization became no longer viable. We established a Steering Committee to try to save the organization, but with no membership participation, the effort was futile. Out of frustration, in the month of December 2000, I had resigned my volunteer position as the Chairmen of the TITC Steering Committee.

Returning to the issue of the TITC membership, It became apparent that the members were not interested in attending the monthly meetings, therefore, effectively preventing the establishment of a strong foundation.Effective January 2001, the TITC organization will close. The TITC organization will no longer be accepting any donations, membership dues, and/or new members.

The Creator knows that I have given all my best to keep the organization alive for the benefit of the Taino people. I have dedicated all my time in promoting the TITC since its inception in 1993, using my own funds to further the goals of the organization with no real support whatsoever, with the exception of a dedicated few.

TITC Officers And Resignation Dates:
Ms. Beverly Torres (Acting President) 12-19-2000
Ms. Sylvia Collazo (Secretary) 10-9-2000
Ms. Christina Bell (Acting Treasurer) 12-19-2000
Mr. Roy McClellan (Trustee) 12-22-2000

Respectfully yours,
Elder Pedro Torres (TITC Registered Business Agent)

CC: TITC Membership
CC: Former TITC Officers

It is always sad to see good things disappear. As a child I was told that others would come to fill their space. In my four decades and some I have found this not to be true. Other people, places and things may come, but they will never be the same, they never fill the same space.

If a person or a nation is to survive this great sadness of good things and loved ones disappearing, it must not be with the illusion that someone or something else will take it's place, for gone is gone! We must face the coming day by thanking the Creator for the privilege that we have been given of experiencing these good people and places in our almost insignificant lifetime. Instead of futilely drowning in a river of tears for a loss, we should create a Sacred space or place in our memories so that our tired minds and souls can occasionally revisit this alter reality and find peace, warmth and strength so that each of us in turn can continue our own daily battles in the eternal choice. The TITC maybe gone, but not forgotten, as well as its reach has probably been seriously underestimated. Remember that a violent wind where you are at, could have begun with the beating of a butterfly's wings at the opposite end of the world.Inevitably, we are all one, we are all connected.

Windchanter (H. Laffitte)
Windchanter@juno.com

Elder Pedtro Guanikeyu Torres replies

Tau Guaitiao, Hello Friend,

I thank you for your kind words. I as a former TITC President and member, I honestly feel that the Taino Inter-Tribal Council, cultural organization did its part. It did so in a historical context, to help promote and preserve a past cultural way of life that was almost lost and forgotten.

The organization did what it had to in the past eight (8) years for the good of the tribe and the Taino people of the circum-Caribbean as a whole. I say that all has not been lost, as we have grown into a much wiser people and thus ultimately we have learned something from our mistakes as we are all connected..

Respectfully yours,
Elder Pedro Guanikeyu Torres