The Arawak are an indigenous people of South America and the Caribbean. They are also known as Taino, which is a five-letter word that can be found in crosswords. The Arawak were the first Native American group encountered by Christopher Columbus during his voyage to the New World in 1492. They were a peaceful people who lived in villages and farmed the land. They were also skilled fishermen and traders. The Arawak were eventually decimated by European diseases and warfare.