Indigenous peoples in Colombia

Indigenous peoples in Colombia, also called Native Colombians, are the ethnic groups who lived in Colombia before the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century. Today, they are a part of the country's population.

Most of these indigenous groups live in areas such as La Guajira, Cauca, Nariño, Córdoba, and Sucre Departments, as well as the Amazon basin. Over time, these communities have faced challenges, but they continue to preserve their traditions and cultures.

Population history

Before Colombia had its current name, about 6 million people lived there. After new leaders arrived, the number of people fell to around 750,000, and most of these were native people. As more people moved in over time, the share of native people became smaller.

By 1993, native people were just 1% of the population. But later, more people began to respect native cultures. By 2018, about 4.4% of Colombians identified as native. Today, around 10% of Colombia’s 52 million people are native, thanks to better awareness and laws that protect their rights.

Even though native people are a smaller part of the total population now, they still have a big role in the genetic background of all Colombians. Studies show that the average Colombian has a lot of native ancestry.

History

Some theories say the first people in South America may have arrived as early as 43,000 BC, but most experts think they came around 15,000 BC. Early people in Colombia lived along the Caribbean coast and in the Andean highlands. One of the oldest known places is Tibitó, near Bogotá, from about 9,790 BC.

When the Spanish arrived in 1509, many different Indigenous groups lived in Colombia. These included the Muisca, Quimbaya, Tairona, Calima, Zenú, Tierradentro, and San Agustín. They were good at farming, mining, and working with metal. Two of the best-known groups were the Muisca and Taironas. The Muisca lived in areas now called Cundinamarca and Boyacá, and the Taironas lived in the Caribbean lowlands and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains.

The Muisca had a special tradition where a leader would cover himself in gold and give treasures to a goddess in a sacred lake. This inspired the legend of El Dorado. Other groups, like the Zenú, made beautiful gold objects. The San Agustín area is known for its large stone sculptures. Ciudad Perdida is an ancient city you can reach by climbing 1,200 stone steps through the jungle.

Indigenous political organization

Many Indigenous groups in Colombia have their own ways of making decisions and leading their communities. Some of these groups work together through a group called the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia. For many years, Indigenous people have worked to protect their lands. The government has given them more land. By 1997, there were 334 areas where Indigenous communities could make their own rules and decisions.

Territories

Indigenous peoples in Colombia own a lot of land, called Indigenous Reserves. These reserves cover about one-third of the country. They are home to many families and communities.

The country's 1991 Constitution says that Indigenous territories are special areas where Indigenous people can make their own decisions.

Territories with predominant Indigenous populations

Departments

Municipalities

Major ethnic groups

According to the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia, there are 102 Indigenous groups in Colombia. The groups with the most members are the Wayuu, Zenú, Nasa, and Pastos. These groups make up most of Colombia's Indigenous people.

Highland peoples live in the Andes and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Lowland peoples live in places like Chocó, Amazonía, Guajira, the Caribbean Coast, the Urabá Region, and other areas that are not mountains.

Struggle for rights

Indigenous people make up a small part of Colombia’s population. They often have less money and face challenges in education and health compared to other Colombians. Over the past 20 years, more people have started to pay attention to Indigenous rights.

In Colombia, Indigenous communities have become more active in fighting for their rights. They stopped using armed struggle in the 1980s and focused on legal ways to protect their rights. This included using international groups to put pressure on the government. However, these efforts did not always succeed. Indigenous communities still face problems such as poverty and a lack of government recognition of their rights.

Despite laws that recognize Colombia’s multiethnic nature, Indigenous groups still struggle for true equality and the right to maintain their unique cultures and traditions. Many people in Colombia do not identify as Indigenous due to past discrimination. However, recent censuses show more people identifying as Indigenous. Some experts believe the actual number may be higher.

Notable Indigenous Colombians

• Hunzahúa (c. 1470), a leader from Hunza in the Muisca Confederation.
• India Catalina (c. 1495–1538), an interpreter from the Mokaná people.
• Aquiminzaque (unknown–1540), the last leader of Hunza in the Muisca Confederation.
• Agustín Agualongo (1780–1824), a military leader from the Pasto people.
• José María Melo (1800–1860), the 7th President of the Republic of New Granada, from the Pijao people.
• Quintín Lame (1880–1967), an Indigenous rebel from the Nasa people.
• Feliciano Valencia (1955–), a Senator of Colombia for Cauca, from the Nasa people.
• Lorenzo Muelas (1938–), an Indigenous activist from the Misak people.
• María Clemencia Herrera Nemerayema (1968–), an Amazonian activist from the Witoto people.
• Aida Quilcué (1973–), a Senator of Colombia for Cauca, from the Nasa people.
• Lido Pimienta (1986–), a Colombian-Canadian singer from the Wayuu people.
• Martha Peralta Epieyú (1988–), a Senator of Colombia for La Guajira, from the Wayuu people.
• Luis Díaz (1997–), a Colombian footballer from the Wayuu people.