Diaguita
Encyclopedia
The Diaguita, also called Diaguita-Calchaquí, are a group of South America
n indigenous peoples
. The Diaguita culture developed between the 8th and 16th centuries in what are now the provinces of Salta
, Catamarca
, La Rioja
and Tucumán
in northwestern
Argentina
, and in the Atacama and Coquimbo
regions of northern Chile
.
They were unique at the time for their lack of a caste system, and lack of gold or other precious metals. They tended to live in clans. For the most part the men were monogamous, with chiefs possibly practicing bigamy
.
They later fell to the Incas, though the Inca invasion was successfully stopped at the Córdoba mountains. Their surviving descendants contributed to the organized resistance to the Spaniards
.
. They had sophisticated architectural and agricultural techniques, including irrigation, and are known for their ceramic art. They preferred the colours white, red and black. They mostly did not build large cities, but were sedentary farmers raising maize
, pumpkins and beans, and herd animals such as llama
s. They reflected the Andean
culture they shared with the Inca
. They worshipped the Sun, thunder an
toto
This is a list of the Diaguita tribes:
(or language group), spoken by Diaguitas and Calchaquíes, became extinct since the mid-17th century or beginning of 18th century. Its genetic classification remains unclear. The language was supposedly documented by the Jesuit
Alonso de Bárcena, but the manuscript is lost.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
. The Diaguita culture developed between the 8th and 16th centuries in what are now the provinces of Salta
Salta Province
Salta is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy...
, Catamarca
Catamarca Province
Catamarca is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. The province has a population of 334,568 as per the , and covers an area of 102,602 km². Its literacy rate is 95.5%. Neighbouring provinces are : Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Córdoba, and La Rioja...
, La Rioja
La Rioja Province (Argentina)
La Rioja is a one of the provinces of Argentina and is located in the west of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Catamarca, Córdoba, San Luis and San Juan.-History:...
and Tucumán
Tucumán Province
Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...
in northwestern
Argentine Northwest
The Argentine Northwest is a region of Argentina composed by the provinces of Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, Santiago del Estero and Tucumán.-Geography:The region had 5 different biomes:* Sub-Andean humid Sierras of the east...
Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and in the Atacama and Coquimbo
Coquimbo
Coquimbo is a port city, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo lies in a valley south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with more than 400,000 inhabitants. The commune spans an area around the...
regions of northern Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
History
Diaguita tribes were sometimes confederated, and sometimes at war against each other. When the Inca started extending their empire southwards in the 15th century, the Diaguita fiercely resisted the invasion.They were unique at the time for their lack of a caste system, and lack of gold or other precious metals. They tended to live in clans. For the most part the men were monogamous, with chiefs possibly practicing bigamy
Bigamy
In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other...
.
They later fell to the Incas, though the Inca invasion was successfully stopped at the Córdoba mountains. Their surviving descendants contributed to the organized resistance to the Spaniards
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
.
Culture
Diaguita peoples were one of the most advanced Pre-Columbian cultures in ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. They had sophisticated architectural and agricultural techniques, including irrigation, and are known for their ceramic art. They preferred the colours white, red and black. They mostly did not build large cities, but were sedentary farmers raising maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, pumpkins and beans, and herd animals such as llama
Llama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
s. They reflected the Andean
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
culture they shared with the Inca
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
. They worshipped the Sun, thunder an
toto
Subdivisions
Diaguita or Diaguita-Calchaquí is a generic name for a number of more or less closely related groups. Ethnographers have classified the group of peoples into three main divisions:- The CalchaquíCalchaquíThe Calchaquí were a tribe of South American Indians of the Diaguita group, now extinct, who formerly occupied northern Argentina. Stone and other remains prove them to have reached a high degree of civilization...
(KakanKakanKakan is a little island in Croatia, around Šibenik....
, Tocaqui) in Salta province, Quimivil and Santa María Valleys. - The Capayana (Cupayana), in San Juan and La Rioja provinces.
- Diaguita proper.
This is a list of the Diaguita tribes:
- AmaichaAmaichaThe Amaichas are a Diaguitan tribe who once lived in northwestern region of Argentina....
, in the Sierra de Aconquija, Tucumán province. - Guachipa, in the valley of the same name, Salta.
- Solco, in Tucumán province north of the Tucuman tribe.
- CafayateCafayate-External links: *...
, around the city of the same name, in the Valles Calchaquíes. - TolombónTolombónTolombón is a village and rural municipality in Salta Province in northwestern Argentina....
(Pacioca), in the province of Tucumán in the Tolombón Valley. - Tafí in the province of Tucumán, around Tafí del ValleTafí del ValleTafí del Valle is a city in Tucumán, Argentina....
. - Tucumán Indians (Tukma), around the city of Tucumán.
- AmanáAmanáAmaná is a municipality and village in La Rioja Province in northwestern Argentina....
, around the city of the same name, La Rioja province. - ChicoanaChicoana-External link:*, Spanish...
(Pulare), in Salta province in the Lerma Valley. - Copiapó Indians, in the province of Atacama, Chile.
- Indama (Ambargasta) north of Salinas Grandes, Santigo del Estero province.
- Abaucan, in the Abaucan Valley, Catamarca.
- AncastiAncastiAncasti or Villa Ancasti is a town in Catamarca Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Ancasti Department.-Economy:The foundations of the local economy are agriculture and cattle farming, key produce include maize, potato and squash....
, in the Sierra de Ancasti, Catamarca. - AndalgaláAndalgaláAndalgalá is a city in the west-center of the province of Catamarca, Argentina, located in a valley near the Sierra de Aconquija, 260 km from the provincial capital San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca. It has about 14,000 inhabitants as per the . It is the head town of the department of the same name...
, Catamarca. - Caringasta, in the Anguco Valley, San Juan province.
- FamatinaFamatinaFamatina is a town in the province of La Rioja, Argentina. It has 6,371 inhabitants as per the , and is the only municipality in the Famatina Department...
, in the Famatina Valley, La Rioja province. - HualfinHualfínHualfín is a village and municipality in Catamarca Province in northwestern Argentina.-References:...
, in the Hualfin Valley, Catamarca. - Musitian, in La Rioja province in the Sierra de los Llanos.
- Nolongasta - in the Chilecito Valley, La Rioja province.
- Pasipa, in the Vicioso Valley, Catamarca.
- QuilmesQuilmes (tribe)The Quilmes people were an indigenous tribe of the Diaguita group settled in the western subandean valleys of today’s Tucumán province, in northwestern Argentina. They fiercely resisted the Inca invasions of the 15th century, and continued to resist the Spaniards for 130 years, until being defeated...
, around the city of Quilmes, Tucumán. - Sanagasta, in the Sierra de Velasco, La Rioja province.
- Yocabil (Yocavil), Yocabil Valley, Santa María, CatamarcaSanta María, CatamarcaSanta María is a city in the province of Catamarca, Argentina. It has about 16,000 inhabitants per the , and is the head town of the department of the same name....
.
Language
The Cacán languageCacán language
Cacán is an extinct language that was spoken by the Diaguita and Calchaquí tribes in northern Argentina and Chile. It became extinct during the late 17th century or early 18th century. The language was documented by the Jesuit Alonso de Bárcena, but the manuscript is lost...
(or language group), spoken by Diaguitas and Calchaquíes, became extinct since the mid-17th century or beginning of 18th century. Its genetic classification remains unclear. The language was supposedly documented by the Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
Alonso de Bárcena, but the manuscript is lost.