PRE-COLOMBIAN CUBA
Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the late 15th century, there were two major indigenous peoples of Cuba, The Taino and the Ciboney:
Taino
The Taino tribe arrived in Cuba around 1000 BCE from mainland Central America.
This tribe is known as a peaceful convocation of hunters and farmers, generally conservative with natural resources, and often at odds with smaller, more profligate tribes.
Taino society lived by a four-tier caste system, with Priests and Chieftains, respectively, in the third and fourth highest tiers. Interestingly, conflict within the society was often solved with games, most famously with a rubber ball game called Bagu. Polygamy within Taino society was commonplace.
Taino religious practice centered on ancestor worship. They believed that the sun and moon emerged from caves, and offered thanks to their supreme god Yucahú in exchange for good harvests.
In 1492, Columbus landed in modern day Cuba, and the decimation of Taino culture began. European disease and other factors including the cross pollination of new cultures killed off many, rendering the Taino nation a footnote of the past.
Ciboney
At their height, the Ciboney tribe inhabited both Cuba and Southern Florida.
Over time, however, the Ciboney were pushed into modern day Haiti by the farther advanced Tainos. By and large, this is a result of the hunter/gathering nature of the Ciboney people. The Tainos and Ciboney did, however, merge forces from time to time in defense of more hostile neighbors.
Little is known of the spiritual beliefs of the ancient Ciboney people, though our knowledge is increasing with every artifact discovered.
Today, there are 275 families of direct Ciboney descent living in Florida.