Colombia is the second most biologically diverse country in the world. It’s also the second most populous country in South America, with over 50 million inhabitants. It’s a nation with two oceans, the final northward thrust of the Andes, five contrasting deserts and a vast chunk of the Amazon jungle. Colombia is multiple countries in one, a nation bursting with diversity. This post examines the origin and history of the Colombian people.
Colonialism and the original people
The majority of Colombians are classified as mestizo or caucasian, accounting for 88% of the population [2018 census]. The first expeditions of the Spanish to the Atlantic coast date back to 1499 and the first settlements began to be established from 1509.
Santa Marta was founded in 1525 and has the distinction of being the second oldest surviving colonial settlement in South America. In 1533, further up the coast, Cartegena was founded where its strategic position and superior harbour led it to becoming the principal trade centre on the Colombian coast.
At the turn of the 16th century, the most dominant civilization in present day Colombia was the Muisca (also known as the Chibcha). The tribe didn’t have the renown of their neighbours, such as the Incas or the Mayans, and tended to live in small and scattered communities, surviving on agriculture and trade. The Chibchas were most prominent in present day Boyacá and Cundinamarca, near Bogota, which itself was named from the Muisca word.
Unlike traditional western civilisations, in Muisca society, the virginity of women was considered negatively, signifying that the woman possessed little value. The civilisation consumed an alcohol that was prepared from fermented maize, known as chicha, and smoked tobacco. Tribal leaders adorned their bodies with gemstones and gold.
It was the Muisca that inspired the the myth of El Dorado, a mysterious jungle kingdom rich in gold, and was part of the motivation for the rapid spread of the conquistadors southward, leading to the establishment of more cities across the territory and widespread intermixing. Long into the colonial period, the economy of the Viceroyalty of New Granada (the name given by the Spanish crown to the jurisdiction, corresponding to modern Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela) depended almost entirely on gold.
The Colombian Ministry of Culture estimates that 10 million Colombians have roots from the Muisca. Today thousands still maintain their traditions.
Spanish (and Basque) immigration
Colombia has the distinction, compared to other South American countries, of primarily drawing its European immigrants from Spain and not receiving a broader spread from across Europe. The overwhelming majority of immigrants left from Spain and most waves arrived before the country’s independence in 1819.
Within Spain, the most common origin was from the South and from the Basque region. In Colombia you can find 3,500 surnames that have roots in Euskadi, the the Basque language. It’s estimated that almost 3 million Colombians have Basque roots. Gaviria and Uribe are examples of popular Basque surnames.
The majority of Basques settled in Antoquia, the mountainous region home to Medellin. A study in 1957 found that 15% of surnames in the Medellin phonebook were of Basque origin. Descendents of the Basques have been particularly successful in Colombia: the same study found that 25% of employers in the city had a Basque surname.
During the colonial period, there was a significant imbalance between the number of males and females that arrived to the shores. A study published in the journal of Human Genetics found that 90% of the paternal lineage found in Antoquia comes from Spain, whereas 90% of the maternal lineage derives from the native population. Mixing was the inevitable outcome.
Unlike other parts of the new world, such as the United States and Argentina, Colombia did not receive many immigrants from Europe and Asia during the second half of the 19th century and first part of the 20th century. An exception was the arrival of a large wave of predominantly Italian males. Famous Colombians, such as Shakira and the painter Botero have Italian roots.
The African influence and slavery
Africa has been another important part of Colombia’s genetic mix. African slaves arrived at a similar time to the European immigrants but in very different conditions. Slaves underpinned much of the economy, especially in agriculture and mining.
The Viceroyalty of New Granada received at least 250,000 slaves between the 16th and 19th century. Cartagena was the most important centre of trade of slaves in Latin America, from where they were distributed across the Spanish territories. [See my post on when the British tried to invade Cartagena in 1741]
Fugitive slaves formed the first ever free town in America in San Basilio del Palenque between the years 1570 and 1580. Today the inhabitants speak Criollo Palenquero, a mix of Spanish and different African languages.
Slavery was abolished in 1851, over 30 years after independence. However, today Colombia’s black population lags in educational achievement and access to basic services, such as the internet. According to the 2018 census, 30% of Afro-Colombians live in “multidimensional poverty,”
At least 10% of Colombians have African roots.
Geographic distribution
The African descendants account for a very high share of populations along the coast, both on the Pacific and the Atlantic. The indigenous populations are more common in the east rather than the west, where the landscape is given over to jungle. The centre of Colombia acts as an axis where you find the largest cities and the highest share of people with mestizo backgrounds.
2 replies on “The origin and history of the Colombian people”
Really interesting piece, especially the Basque connection.
I’m glad you liked. The Basque connection is fascinating. One of Colombia’s more controversial presidents of recent times, Alvaro Uribe, is of Basque descent.