cacique

[ kuh-seek ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a chief of an Indian clan or tribe in Mexico and the West Indies.
(in Spain and Latin America) a political boss on a local level.
(in the Philippines) a prominent landowner.
any of several black and red or black and yellow orioles of the American tropics that construct long, pendent nests.

cacique

/ kəˈsiːk; kəˈziːk /

a Native American chief in a Spanish-speaking region
(esp in Spanish America) a local political boss
any of various tropical American songbirds of the genus Cacicus and related genera: family Icteridae (American orioles)

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Origin of cacique¹

First recorded in 1545–55; from Spanish, from Taíno (Hispaniola)

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Origin of cacique¹

C16: from Spanish, of Arawak origin; compare Taino cacique chief

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It is from the perspective of a Mexican cacique on his deathbed.

Yet, though ostensibly free, these local bodies are practically in the power of the political wire-puller, or cacique.

The cacique has another very beautiful palace, with a large courtyard, paved with handsome flags, in the style of a chess-board.

In later years a cacique was elected annually by the people, and under him officers were appointed for the different villages.

At length they were again taken captive by the cacique or chief of another province.

Formerly 729 each town or province was ruled by an hereditary cacique, who administered justice with four nobles as counselors.

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