The
Arhuaco people, also called the
Aruacos,
Ica,
Ijca or
Bintuk, names of a
Native American ethnic group part of the
Chibcha family, descendents of the
Tairona Culture concentrated in northern
Colombia in the
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Territory
The Arhuacos live in the upper valleys of the Piedras River, San Sebastian river, Chichicua River, Ariguani River and Guatapuri River, in an
Indian Reservation in the
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Mountains. Their traditional territory before the
Spanish colonization, was larger than today's boundaries which exclude many of their sacred sites that they continue to visit today, to pay offerings. These lost territories are the lower parts by the steps of the mountains, lost to colonization and farming.
Communities
The Arhuacos are distributed into 22 sections.
- Central Zone: Nabusimake (Capital of the Arhuaco nation), Yechikin and Busin.
- Western Zone: Serankua, Windiwameina, Singunei.
- Southern Zone: Zigta, Yeurwa, Gumuke, Yeiwin, Seiarukwingumu, Buyuaguenka, and Simonorwa.
- Southeast Zone: Wirwa, Yugaka, Karwa.
- East Zone: Sogrome, Donachwi, Timaka, Aruamake, Seinimin and Izrwa.
The population is dispersed, but gets together in these towns for reunions and ceremonies, with Nabusimake being the most important of them and with an especial significance: it's composed of fifty squared shaped houses and circular temples named
Kankura, for men and women.
Economy
The Arhuacos' main economic activity is subsistence
agriculture, which...
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