Tayrona Culture

Culture, History

By Lorena Fernández

The pre-Colombian culture known as Tayrona was an extensive group that existed in the northern part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa María, inside what is today the Natural National Park Tayrona. Subversive and hard working people, the Tayrona gave Spaniard conquistadors hard times as they tried to move in the territory.

Between 1525 and 1599 there were several conflicts between indigenous groups of various kinds and Spaniards, who were forced to establish civilized relationships with these communities in order to survive. However, Tayronas also began to network with French and English pirates and burned the city of Santa Marta several times during these years. It was not until 1599 that the then governor, Juan Guiral Velón, conducted an intense military campaign and managed to capture and kill every single Indigenous chief, leaving their people powerless and at the mercy of the Spaniards. Few managed to get away and their descendents are a group named Kogis, who remain isolated from the world.

Nowadays there is plenty of archeological heritance in the area, the biggest sample being what is known as the Lost City. Approximately 13 hectares of archeological evidence suggests close to 1500 and 2400 people lived in the city.