Kolla people
Encyclopedia
The Kolla are an indigenous people of Western Bolivia
, Chile
, and Argentina
, living in Jujuy
and Salta Province
s. The 2004 Complementary Indigenous Survey reported 53,019 Kolla households living in Argentina. They moved freely between the borders of Argentina and Bolivia. Their lands are part of the yungas
or high altitude forests at the edge of the Amazon rainforest
.
in the 15th century. Sillustani
is a prehistoric Kolla cemetery in Peru
, with elaborate stone Chullpa
s. Several groups made up the Kolla people, including the Omaguaca, Zenta, and Gispira. The Kolla came into contact with Spaniards in 1540. They resisted Spanish invasion for 110 years but ultimately lost the Santiago Estate to the Spanish. One particularly famous rebel leader was Ñusta Huillac, a female warrior who fought the Spanish in 1780. With Argentinian independence in 1810, Kolla's situation did not improve and they worked for minimal wages.
On 31 August 1945, Kolla communities in the northwestern Argentine provinces of Jujuy
and Salta
, through a group of representatives, sent a note to the National Agrarian Council demanding the restitution of their lands, in compliance with previous laws. On 17 January 1946 President Edelmiro Julián Farrell
signed the expropriation decree. But as funds for the necessary land surveys and paperwork were in progress, the direction of the Council passed to other people, who blocked them. In 1946, Kolla people joined the Malón de la Paz
, a march to the capital of Buenos Aires
to demand the return of their lands.
In the 1950s, Kolla people worked in the timber industry on their ancestral lands.
In 1985 the Argentinian government officially recognized the indigenous peoples of that country by Law 23303. A cholera
epidemic took a toll on the Kolla population in the late 20th century. In August 1996, many Kolla people occupied and blocks roaded to their traditional lands but were violently stopped by the police. On 19 March 1997, the Kolla people finally regained legal possession of the Santiago Estate.
, a Quechua language.
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, 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...
, and 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...
, living in Jujuy
Jujuy Province
Jujuy is a province of Argentina, located in the extreme northwest of the country, at the borders with Chile and Bolivia. The only neighboring Argentine province is Salta to the east and south.-History:...
and Salta Province
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...
s. The 2004 Complementary Indigenous Survey reported 53,019 Kolla households living in Argentina. They moved freely between the borders of Argentina and Bolivia. Their lands are part of the yungas
Yungas
The Yungas is a stretch of forest along the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains from southeastern Peru through central Bolivia. It is a transitional zone between the Andean highlands and the eastern forests. Like the surrounding areas, it has characteristics of the Neotropic ecozone...
or high altitude forests at the edge of the Amazon rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
.
History
The Kolla have lived in their region for centuries, before the arrival of Inca EmpireInca 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...
in the 15th century. Sillustani
Sillustani
Sillustani is a pre-Incan burial ground on the shores of Lake Umayo near Puno in Peru. The tombs, which are built above ground in tower-like structures called chullpas, are the vestiges of the Colla people, Aymara who were conquered by the Inca in the 15th century. The structures housed the...
is a prehistoric Kolla cemetery in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, with elaborate stone Chullpa
Chullpa
A chullpa is an ancient Aymara funerary tower originally constructed for a noble person or noble family. The tallest are about 12m high. The tombs at Sillustani are most famous, but chullpas are found across the Altiplano in Peru and Bolivia...
s. Several groups made up the Kolla people, including the Omaguaca, Zenta, and Gispira. The Kolla came into contact with Spaniards in 1540. They resisted Spanish invasion for 110 years but ultimately lost the Santiago Estate to the Spanish. One particularly famous rebel leader was Ñusta Huillac, a female warrior who fought the Spanish in 1780. With Argentinian independence in 1810, Kolla's situation did not improve and they worked for minimal wages.
On 31 August 1945, Kolla communities in the northwestern Argentine provinces of Jujuy
Jujuy Province
Jujuy is a province of Argentina, located in the extreme northwest of the country, at the borders with Chile and Bolivia. The only neighboring Argentine province is Salta to the east and south.-History:...
and 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...
, through a group of representatives, sent a note to the National Agrarian Council demanding the restitution of their lands, in compliance with previous laws. On 17 January 1946 President Edelmiro Julián Farrell
Edelmiro Julián Farrell
General Edelmiro Julián Farrell Plaul was an Argentine military officer of Irish descent. He was the de facto president of Argentina between 1944 and 1946....
signed the expropriation decree. But as funds for the necessary land surveys and paperwork were in progress, the direction of the Council passed to other people, who blocked them. In 1946, Kolla people joined the Malón de la Paz
Malón de la Paz
The Malón de la Paz was a march of indigenous peoples of northwestern Argentina to the capital, Buenos Aires, demanding the restitution of their ancient lands, in 1946. The participants marched about 2,000 km to present their claims to President Juan Perón....
, a march to the capital of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
to demand the return of their lands.
In the 1950s, Kolla people worked in the timber industry on their ancestral lands.
In 1985 the Argentinian government officially recognized the indigenous peoples of that country by Law 23303. A cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic took a toll on the Kolla population in the late 20th century. In August 1996, many Kolla people occupied and blocks roaded to their traditional lands but were violently stopped by the police. On 19 March 1997, the Kolla people finally regained legal possession of the Santiago Estate.
Today
The Kolla Tinkunaku Community is a grassroots organization representing four Kolla communities. Two other organizations represent Kolla rights in Argentina: Centro Kolla in Buenos Aires and the Indianista de los Pueblos Kollas. Because they traditionally held their land in common, Kolla people do not have titles of ownership to their lands, which has resulted in displacement. However, Kolla people participate in Argentinian government and hold local elected positions in their region.Language
The Kolla speak Northwest Jujuy Quechua or Colla, a dialect of the Southern QuechuaSouthern Quechua
Southern Quechua , or only Quechua, is the most widely spoken of the major regional groupings of mutually intelligible dialects within the Quechua language family, with about 5 million speakers...
, a Quechua language.
External links
- "Kolla Indians Fight to Protect Their Land.", InterPress Service