Zona Cafetera Overview

By Brenda Yun

For two thousand years before the Spanish Conquest, the Cauca Medio region (or Zona Cafetera) was populated by agricultural workers, gold and salt miners, ceramic artists, and farmers. Gold and ceramic art were considered important and valued treasures to these people. Both men and women held leadership positions in society, and the abundance of gold and clay allowed for great productivity of art for centuries. Metal work displays unique methods using gold and copper, and ceramics show simple yet beautiful zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures. Until 1540, there were so many different indigenous customs, traditions, and languages that European settlers classified the cultures into provinces: Caramanta, Anserma, Arma, Picara, Carrapa, Quimbaya, Quindo, and others. The most impressive gold and art among all of these groups came from the Quimbaya, who demonstrated a mastery of the arts. As the nation’s green region, with a perfect microclimate for plant life, coffee but also berries, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables grow wildly and easily. Agricultural trade in the area became increasingly important as population in the area flourished. In the late 1500’s, however, the indigenous and native people in metropolitan centers like Manizales and Pereira were sent packing and moved to more comfortable and quiet mountain villages. That is why we see so many lovely colonial villages and buildings in this region. Rural farm life continues to hold value to the people here, and old customs are still practiced in the more remote parts of Risaralda and Quindío.