Timoto-cuicas
Encyclopedia
Timoto–Cuica people were an indigenous group
compromised primarily of two tribes, the Timotes and the Cuicas, that inhabited in the Andean
region of western Venezuela
. They were closely related to the Muisca
, or also known as the Chibchas, indigenous people of the Andes. The Timoto-Cuicas were not only composed of the Timotos and the Cuicas tribes, but also the Mucuchíes, the Migures, and the Mucuñuques.
Pre-Columbian
Venezuela had an estimated indigenous population of one million, with the Andean region being the most densely populated area. The two tribes lived peacefully in what are today the states of Mérida, Trujillo, and Táchira.
Timoto-Cuica society was complex with pre-planned permanent villages, surrounded by irrigated, terraced fields. They also stored water in tanks. Their houses were made primarily of stone and wood with thatched roofs. They were peaceful, for the most part, and depended on growing crops. Regional crops included potatoes and ulluco
s.
They left behind works of art, particularly anthropomorphic ceramics, but no major monuments. They spun vegetable fibers to weave into textiles and mats for housing. They are credited with having invented the arepa
, a staple in Venezuelan and Colombian cuisine
.
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...
compromised primarily of two tribes, the Timotes and the Cuicas, that inhabited in the Andean
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
region of western Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. They were closely related to the Muisca
Muisca
Muisca was the Chibcha-speaking tribe that formed the Muisca Confederation of the central highlands of present-day Colombia. They were encountered by the Spanish Empire in 1537, at the time of the conquest...
, or also known as the Chibchas, indigenous people of the Andes. The Timoto-Cuicas were not only composed of the Timotos and the Cuicas tribes, but also the Mucuchíes, the Migures, and the Mucuñuques.
Culture and lifeways
Pre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
Venezuela had an estimated indigenous population of one million, with the Andean region being the most densely populated area. The two tribes lived peacefully in what are today the states of Mérida, Trujillo, and Táchira.
Timoto-Cuica society was complex with pre-planned permanent villages, surrounded by irrigated, terraced fields. They also stored water in tanks. Their houses were made primarily of stone and wood with thatched roofs. They were peaceful, for the most part, and depended on growing crops. Regional crops included potatoes and ulluco
Ulluco
Ulluco is a plant grown primarily as a root vegetable, secondarily as a leaf vegetable.The ulluco is one of the most widely grown and economically important root crops in the Andean region of South America, second only to the potato...
s.
They left behind works of art, particularly anthropomorphic ceramics, but no major monuments. They spun vegetable fibers to weave into textiles and mats for housing. They are credited with having invented the arepa
Arepa
An arepa is a dish made of ground corn dough or cooked flour, popular in Colombia, Venezuela and other Spanish-speaking countries. It is similar in shape to the Salvadoran pupusa...
, a staple in Venezuelan and Colombian cuisine
Colombian cuisine
Colombian cuisine refers to the cooking traditions and practices of Colombia. Along with other cultural expressions of national identity, Colombian cuisine varies among its many distinct regions. Colombians typically eat three meals a day: a large breakfast, a medium lunch between 12-2, and a light...
.