| Named after | Muisca |
|---|---|
| Formation | September 22, 2002; 23 years ago (2002-09-22) |
| Founded at | Bosa,Bogotá |
| Type | Indigenous organisation |
| Purpose | Education and culture Health, territory and environment Interethnic relations Linguistics |
| Headquarters | Bosa, Bogotá |
Region | Altiplano Cundiboyacense Boyacá,Cundinamarca  Colombia |
Official language | Muysccubun,Colombian Spanish |
Parent organization | ONIC |
TheCabildo Mayor del Pueblo Muisca is an organisation ofindigenous people, in particular theMuisca. It was established in September 2002 inBosa,Bogotá,Colombia. The organisation, member ofNational Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC), focuses on defending the rights of the descendants of the Muisca, and the development of cultural and historical heritage, territory and health and the linguistics of the indigenous language, Muysccubun.
The Muisca, meaning "people" or "person" in the indigenous languageMuysccubun, were the indigenous inhabitants of theAltiplano Cundiboyacense, the central high plateau in theEastern Ranges of the ColombianAndes before theSpanish conquest. Additionally, they inhabited neighbouring valleys and highlands as theTenza Valley andOcetá Páramo. Their major concentration was on the fertile lands of theBogotá savanna, bordered to the east by theEastern Hills. The name "Muisca", or "Muysca", has been given to the native people by theSpanish conquistadors who reached the Muisca territory after a harsh expedition from the Caribbean coastal city ofSanta Marta in March 1537.
The diverse collection of indigenous people known as Muisca or Chibchas, due to their language being part of theChibchan languages family, was first submitted in the south, where thezipa ofBacatá was the main leader (cacique). Thezipa conquered by the Spanish wasTisquesusa, who died inFacatativá in April 1537. His successor was the lastzipa, under Spanish rule in theNew Kingdom of Granada, established with the foundation of Bogotá on August 6, 1538, by main conquistadorGonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. After he and two other conquistadors who reached the highlands of the Eastern Ranges,Nikolaus Federmann andSebastián de Belalcázar left for Spain in 1539, the reign of theSpanish colony was left in the hands of the brother of De Quesada,Hernán Pérez de Quesada. Under his command, various atrocities against the indigenous people were committed, including torture and murder. The lastruler pertaining to the Muisca,Tundama, was killed by conquistadorBaltasar Maldonado in December 1539 nearTundama.
During the colonial reign, the Muisca were enslaved by the Spanish and forced to pay tributes in gold,emeralds and other valuables and forced to work in the emerald,coal andsalt mines present on the Altiplano. A process of evangelisation was started with the formation of the Audiencia in 1550 and the last publicreligious ritual of the Muisca under colonial rule took place inUbaque in December 1563. As with other pre-Columbian civilisations in the Americas, the indigenous population dwindled because of European diseases assmallpox andtyphus (65 to 85%) and the Spanish succeeded in themestizaje of the indigenous groups; marriages between indigenous and European people.[1] The Muisca language has been considered extinct since the late eighteenth century. Modern revival of the indigenous language is present in linguistic projects. In the early colonial period, the indigenous communities of the Bogotá savanna were subdivided into two main areas; Bosa and Bogotá.[2] The locality of Bogotá, Suba, was inhabited by Muisca since around 800 AD and originally calledZhuba. During the expansion of the Colombian capital in the 1950s, conflicts with the indigenous peoples of Suba arose.[3]
Severalcabildos of indigenous people were formed in Colombia in 1989. At a forum held in 1999,Los muiscas; un pueblo en reconstrucción, the Muisca communities formulated a plan for a proper organisation of their people.[4] The indigenous communities ofBosa,[5] andSuba inBogotá andCota,[6]Chía andSesquilé inCundinamarca gathered between September 20 and 22, 2002 in Bosa at the firstCongreso General del Pueblo Muisca where they established theCabildo Mayor del Pueblo Muisca, as member of theNational Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC).[7] Additionally, theCabildo Mayor del Pueblo Muisca supports the indigenous communities ofUbaté,Tocancipá,Soacha,Ráquira andTenjo.[8]
In 2010, twokindergartens were founded for the children of the descendants of the original Muisca.[9]
TheCabildo is active in five areas: education and culture, health, interethnic relations, territory and environment and linguistics.[7]
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