The DPRFN membership requirements information is located within the letter. In order to join, it is important that you read the letter. With this in mind, if you need additional assistance, please join the Facebook group listed in the letter. Lastly, forms below the letter are to assist you further. To view the content, simply click on the option and it should expand so it can be viewed. You can click on the heading again to close it and look at other items listed and download documents.
Instructions to join are easy to follow. We look forward to your membership.
DPRFN Membership Requirements Letter:
From the Desk of Richard Morrow Porrata, Ph.D.
Paramount Chief and Chairman
Thanks for your interest in the Society of the Descendants of Puerto Rico’s First Nation; an indigenous genealogical society that proves Taino descendants exists. If you are a member of FamilyTreeDNA.com, our group, TainoDescendantsofPR, administrators can verify if you are an American Indian descendant.
If you are not a member of FamilyTreeDNA.com but have DNA results from another company such as Ancestry.com, you can transfer those results over to the FamilyTreeDNA.com, and permit our group, TainoDescendantsofPR, to review your DNA results.
How to proceed:
- Download your results to your computer.
- Go to FamilyTreeDNA.com website by visiting https://www.familytreedna.com/autosomal-transfer
- Go to Dropdown Menu
- Select “Autosomal Transfer”. From there it will talk you through the transfer process
Note: The FamilyTreeDNA.com website has a learning center that can talk you through the process.
Once you have transferred your results over to FamilyTreeDNA.com don’t forget to join the group TainoDescendantsofPR. You must give “Limited Access” so that the administrator can verify if you are an American Indian descendant or not. You can find the site at the following link:
https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/taino-descendantsof-pr/about
Afterwards, join our Facebook group, Descendants of Puerto Rico’s First Nation, or go to our sponsor’s website, Yukibo Books, to let us know you have submitted your DNA results so they can be verified. Both sites have much information about our society and what we are about. We are confident that you will find the site’s information interesting and even helpful towards proving your Taino ancestry.
The only two requirements for membership into our Society is that one is Puerto Rican or a Puerto Rican descendant of proven American Indian ancestry from Puerto Rico. The ancestry must be taken back to at least the 1800’s. Some members have taken their American Indian ancestry as far back as ca. 1720 with an indigenous maternal Haplogroup A2z, which has been identified as Ciboney/Taino unique to Cuba and Puerto Rico. However, that does not mean that other American Indian haplogroups are not indigenous to Puerto Rico as well, and are accepted as evidence to join our society.
Another Alternative…
Another alternative to membership without the need of DNA evidence, is proof of Indian ancestry through vital statistic, Church records, or male ancestors that were identified as indio in any of the Four Companies of Indian Soldiers in the San German Urban Militia. Such records do exist in Puerto Rico and are found in municipality demographic offices, the Catholic Church, and the General Archives of Puerto Rico that identify people as indio and mestizo as late as the 1930’s.
Once we have verified you are indeed an American Indian descendant of Puerto Rican heritage, and after you have filled out our membership application, we will issue you a membership card of Taino authenticity. There is no charge except that you send us a self-addressed envelope with attached postage so we can send you your card.
Best wishes for you always and Tainoti.
Richard Morrow Porrata, Paramount Chief and Chairman DPRFN