Atabey is a major deity in Taíno mythology, worshipped by the Indigenous Taíno people of the Caribbean, particularly in present-day Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and eastern Cuba. She is regarded as the supreme goddess of fertility, fresh water, and childbirth, and is often considered a mother of all creation. As an earth and water spirit, Atabey is deeply associated with the nurturing and life-giving aspects of nature, including rivers, rain, and the moon. She is one of the most revered zemís—sacred ancestral spirits—within Taíno belief systems.
Atabey is sometimes depicted as a dual-natured goddess: both nurturing and destructive, reflecting her control over nature's cycles. She is said to have given birth to the first man and woman without sexual intercourse and is the mother of Yúcahu, the god of agriculture and cassava, a staple Taíno crop. Rituals and offerings were made to Atabey to ensure fertility of the land and safe childbirth for women. Some petroglyphs found in caves and riverbeds are believed to represent her image, often characterized by a squatting female figure giving birth or a symbol of flowing water.
After the Spanish colonization, much of the Taíno culture was suppressed, but Atabey remains a symbol of cultural identity and resilience among Taíno descendants today.
Sources:
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Stevens-Arroyo, Anthony M. Cave of the Jagua: The Mythological World of the Taíno
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Oliver, José R. Caciques and Cemí Idols: The Web Spun by Taíno Rulers Between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico
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Martínez-Cruzado, Juan C. "The Use of Mitochondrial DNA to Discover Pre-Columbian Migrations to the Caribbean."