India Catalina
Encyclopedia
India Catalina was an indigenous
woman (almost certainly Calamari) from the Colombian Atlantic coast, who accompanied Pedro de Heredia
and played a role in the Spanish
conquest of Colombia
, acting as interpreter and intermediary. In Colombia
today, India Catalina remains as an icon of the extermination of the Precolumbian inhabitants.
from an indigenous settlement known as Zamba o Galerazamba, where she was the daughter of the local chief. She was sent to Santo Domingo
, where she learned the Spanish language
and adopted the Catholic
religion. As a requirement of Pedro de Heredia, she served as an interpreter to the Native Americans
and after that she married Alonso Montañez, Pedro de Heredia's nephew.
The events of the Spanish conquest in the area of modern Cartagena
ended with the complete annihilation of the Calamari people.
The name of Catalina Indian, appeared in a letter sent for Pedro de Heredia to King Carlos V in 1533. No one could tell what her real name was because he began calling her 'Catalina' from 1509 when the Diego de Nicuesa expedition kidnapped and took her to Santo Domingo where was educated as a Spaniard. From that time she would use Spanish dress only but was still considered a slave.
When they returned to Cartagena twenty years after, she was not the same. She was the one who made the first contact with Corinche Indians after her arrival with Heredia, on the 14 January of 1533. She was the translator for Heredia in the pacification of the many Indian towns as turbacos
that he eliminated in combat to Juan de La Cosa many years ago.
The monument to India Catalina was sculpted by Eladio Gil Zambrana and presented to the public in 1974. Small scale replicas are used in the Cartagena Film Festival
awards.
Indigenous peoples in Colombia
The indigenous peoples in Colombia comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the country's present territory prior to its discovery by Europeans around 1500.-Origins:...
woman (almost certainly Calamari) from the Colombian Atlantic coast, who accompanied Pedro de Heredia
Pedro de Heredia
Pedro de Heredia, Spanish conqueror, founder of the city Cartagena de Indias, in Colombia.Noble from birth, for being involved in many brawls he was forced to leave Spain. He established himself in La Española. Later on, he accepted the job of lieutenant offered by the governor of Santa Marta,...
and played a role in the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
conquest 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...
, acting as interpreter and intermediary. In 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...
today, India Catalina remains as an icon of the extermination of the Precolumbian inhabitants.
History
Catalina was abducted in 1509 by Spanish conqueror Diego de NicuesaDiego de Nicuesa
Diego de Nicuesa was a Spanish conquistador and explorer. In 1506, he was given the job of governing Costa Rica, but ran aground off the coast of Panama. He made his way north overland, against resistance from the native population...
from an indigenous settlement known as Zamba o Galerazamba, where she was the daughter of the local chief. She was sent to Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, where she learned the Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and adopted the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
religion. As a requirement of Pedro de Heredia, she served as an interpreter to the Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
and after that she married Alonso Montañez, Pedro de Heredia's nephew.
The events of the Spanish conquest in the area of modern Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
ended with the complete annihilation of the Calamari people.
The name of Catalina Indian, appeared in a letter sent for Pedro de Heredia to King Carlos V in 1533. No one could tell what her real name was because he began calling her 'Catalina' from 1509 when the Diego de Nicuesa expedition kidnapped and took her to Santo Domingo where was educated as a Spaniard. From that time she would use Spanish dress only but was still considered a slave.
When they returned to Cartagena twenty years after, she was not the same. She was the one who made the first contact with Corinche Indians after her arrival with Heredia, on the 14 January of 1533. She was the translator for Heredia in the pacification of the many Indian towns as turbacos
Turbaco
Turbaco is a municipality in the Bolívar Department of Colombia. It is about 20 minutes from Cartagena de Indias and is one of Bolívar's most organized municipalities. Turbaco is known for its famous "Fiesta de Toros" in December to celebrate the new year. Currently the municipality is undergoing...
that he eliminated in combat to Juan de La Cosa many years ago.
Monument
Cartagena Film Festival
The Cartagena Film Festival, or Festival Internacional de Cine y T.V. de Cartagena de Indias. is a Colombian film festival which focuses on the promotion of Colombian television programs, Latin American films, and videos...
awards.