When Christopher Columbus arrived in Cuba for the first time on the 27th of October, 1492, and sailed around the Cuban Northeastern coast during forty days, he not only found a lush vegetation, but also peaceful and naive aboriginals presenting him with cotton, a sort of spin yarn and small pieces of gold, all of which they would trade for valueless trinkets.

Two years later, when exploring the South coast of Cuba during his second trip, the Admiral would realize there were several groups of indigenous settlers. The natives from the East of the country that were travelling with him could not understand the language of those that lived in the Western region.

Indeed, settlements in the island started four thousand years before with several migrations: the firsts, most probably coming from the North through Florida, and then several migration waves most probably coming from the Orinoco River through the arc of the Antilles.

When the Spanish conquest began there were about 100 000 natives in the island, each group with different degrees of social and cultural development.

The oldest and most backward group which had almost disappeared by the 15th century made a living on fishing and fruit collection, and made their instruments with the shells of large mollusks. Another, more advanced, group made instruments mainly of stone and some with shells, and lived on fishing and hunting.

The more advanced group, originally from South America, belonged to the aruacos. These practiced agriculture, and with their main crop, tapioca, made the cassava bread, which could not only be consumed immediately, but could last long enough to be preserved. They made ceramic jars and other objects and manufactured a variety of objects from shells and polished stone.

They lived in "bohíos", thatched palm wood huts grouped in small "aboriginal" settlements. For centuries, the bohíos were an important element in the "habitat" of Cuban peasants.

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