The Taino Indians lived a very peaceful existence as they rarely came into contact with outside threats or enemies. They retained a hierarchal system of social order that was much like the system in many other advanced areas of the world. At the top was the cacique, or chieftain, who led the tribe in political and spiritual matters (depicted on left). Next was the nitainos, or nobility, which was usually the family of the chieftain or his advisors and shamans. Finally at the bottom was the naborias, or working class; who, despite their low class level, participated fully in the community and was respected for their work. Clothing was used as a clear sign of class, as many of the chieftains and nobility decorated themselves with feathers or gold pieces and the working class donned loincloths or skirts. There was also a gender gap in the tribe between men and women which reflects the traditional split in most prehistorical native people. The men were the hunters, fishers, and gathers while the women stayed home to cook and watch after the children. In addition to a social structure, the Tainos also had a monetary system. They would harvest the yucca plant and ground it into powder that would then be used to make casave, which is like a flat cracker. Being a source of food, casave was a common bartering tool that was so common it could be considered the currency for the Tainos. The Tainos also had a complex village system that was completely planned out before construction began and often housed upwards of one thousand civilians. The major attractions and public areas were all gathered in the middle of the village, along with the cacique's adobe. This area was then surrounded by bohios, which were the small round houses of the naborias made from palm fronds for the roof and thatched bamboo or palm trees for walls (depicted above). When finished, the village would be in the shape of a massive rectangle and not just a disorganized array of houses. The Tainos also used wood to build incredibly large canoes that could seat up to one hundred passengers and rowers, and were designed for long ocean voyages. This promotes the idea that the Tainos were curious of their surroundings and the outside world and attempted contact at every opportunity.