Gaitana
Encyclopedia
Gaitana, also referred to as La Gaitana and Cacica Gaitana, was a 16th century Páez
woman leader who, in 1539-40, led the indigenous people of northern Cauca
, Colombia
in armed resistance against colonization by the Spanish
. Her monument sculpted by Rodrigo Arenas
stands in Neiva
, the capital of Huila in Colombia.
chronologists, at the time of conquest, the modern territory of Huila Department
was inhabited to the west by the Yalcon tribe (with nearly 5000 warriors) comprising the Avirama, the Pinao, the Guanaca and the Paez
whose tribal leader was Gaitana Cacica. The eastern region was inhabited by the Andaqui
and Pijao
peoples.
to found a village in the territory of what is today Timana
, in order to create a trade route through the Magdalena River
valley.
Añasco called all the indigenous leaders and demanded that they pay him a tribute. A tribe of Yalcon people, commanded by a young man and his mother (Gaitana Cacica) delayed the payment, and Añasco decided to set an example by ordering her son to be burned alive.
and other European diseases.
Paez people
The Paez, also known as the Nasa, are a Native American people who live in the Andes Mountains of Colombia.-Religion:In the early 1900s, Lazarists built missions among the Paez and began the work to convert them to Christianity. Jesuits had originally tried to convert the Paez, but failed. However,...
woman leader who, in 1539-40, led the indigenous people of northern Cauca
Cauca Department
Cauca is a Department of Colombia. Located in the south-western part of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Valle del Cauca Department to the north, Tolima Department to the northeast, Huila Department to the east and the Nariño Department to the south, covering a total area of...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
in armed resistance against colonization by the Spanish
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
. Her monument sculpted by Rodrigo Arenas
Rodrigo Arenas
Rodrigo Arenas Betancur was a Colombian sculptor, born on October 23, 1919 in Fredonia, Antioquia. At the time of his death in 1995 he was recognized as one of the most important sculptors in Colombia and Latin America...
stands in Neiva
Neiva
Neiva is the Capital of the Department of Huila. It is located in the valley of the Magdalena River in south central Colombia with a population of about 378,857 inhabitants...
, the capital of Huila in Colombia.
The indigenous people
According to SpanishSpanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
chronologists, at the time of conquest, the modern territory of Huila Department
Huila Department
Huila is one of the departments of Colombia. It is located in the southwest of the country, and its capital is Neiva.-Geography:The south of the department is located in the Colombian Massif...
was inhabited to the west by the Yalcon tribe (with nearly 5000 warriors) comprising the Avirama, the Pinao, the Guanaca and the Paez
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
whose tribal leader was Gaitana Cacica. The eastern region was inhabited by the Andaqui
Andaqui
Andaqui is an extinct language from the southern highlands of Colombia. It may be one of the Paezan or Barbacoan languages, which may be related to each other....
and Pijao
Pijao
The Pijao are an indigenous people of Colombia.-Ethnography:The Pijao or Pijaos were a loose federation of Amerindians living in the region of Tolima -Colombia and other territories...
peoples.
Pedro de Añasco
Pedro de Añasco was a Spanish conqueror, sent by Sebastián de BelalcázarSebastián de Belalcázar
Sebastián de Belalcázar was a Spanish conquistador.-Early life:He was born Sebastián Moyano in the province of Córdoba, Spain, in either 1479 or 1480. He took the name Belalcázar as that was the name of the castle-town near to his birthplace in Córdoba...
to found a village in the territory of what is today Timana
Timana
Timana is a town and municipality in the Huila Department, Colombia....
, in order to create a trade route through the Magdalena River
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in spite of the shifting sand bars at the mouth of its delta, as...
valley.
Añasco called all the indigenous leaders and demanded that they pay him a tribute. A tribe of Yalcon people, commanded by a young man and his mother (Gaitana Cacica) delayed the payment, and Añasco decided to set an example by ordering her son to be burned alive.
Revenge
The execution of Gaitana's son caused outrage among the indigenous tribes, who decided to cooperate with each other to join forces against the Spaniards. Añasco and his men were attacked by surprise. The men were executed and Añasco had his eyes removed and was dragged around the village until he died.Betrayal
However, one of the indigenous leaders, Cacique Matambo, betrayed the organized indigenous forces. Matambo warned the Spaniards about plans against them with the result that the indigenous forces were crushed and the remaining indigenous people were gradually exterminated by slavery, smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
and other European diseases.