Editing Muisca (section)

== The Spanish conquest ==
{{main|Spanish conquest of the Muisca}}

The conquest of the Muisca began with Gonzalo [[Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada|Jiménez de Quesada's]] 1536 expedition up the [[Magdalena River]] into the Colombian highlands. There his men encountered the thriving expanse of rich villages spread across a lush plateau. The conquistadors proceeded to loot the Muisca's temples and capture their leaders, holding them for ransom to extract their whereabouts of their gold.<ref name=OriginElDorado></ref> 

Rivalries between the ''[[Muisca rulers|zaque]]'' and the ''[[Muisca rulers|zipa]]'' were taken advantage of by the Spaniards as they conquered the heart of what would be Colombia. The presence of the Spaniards gave hope to both sovereigns that, were they to make one Confederation, they could prevail in a war against the Spaniards. But the Spaniards prevailed. The reaction of the chief leaders and the people did little to change the destiny of the Confederations. The Spanish executed the last Muisca sovereigns, [[Sagipa]] and [[Aquiminzaque]], in 1539 and 1540 respectively. 

In 1539, two other expeditions converged on the territory of the Muisca, led by [[Sebastián de Belalcázar]] and [[Nicolás de Federman]], who were also searching for lands rich in gold. Despite Jiménez's early arrival, each tried to lay claim to the region. The three leaders traveled back to Spain together to have the dispute adjudicated in court. 

In 1542 [[Gonzalo Suárez Rendón]] finally put down the last resistance. The territories of the Confederations were distributed as [[encomienda|encomiendas]] among the soldiers of Belalcazar, Federmann, and Jiménez De Quesada. Later the Spanish Crown would elect Jiménez as the mayor of Bogotá, with the title ''adelantado de los cabildos de Santa Fe y Tunja''. Bogotá would later become the capital of the Spaniard's New Kingdom of Granada.<ref name=OriginElDorado></ref>

=== Last Muisca sovereigns ===
{{main|Muisca rulers}}
{{Columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* '''''Zipas'' of [[Bacatá]]''':
** [[Meicuchuca]] (1450–1470)
** [[Saguamanchica]] (1470–1490)
** [[Nemequene]] (1490–1514)
** [[Tisquesusa]] (1514–1537)
** [[Sagipa]] (1537–1539)
* '''''Zaques'' of [[Tunja|Hunza]]''':
** [[Hunzahúa]] (?-1470)
** [[Michuá]] (1470–1490)
** [[Quemuenchatocha]] (1490–1537)
** [[Aquiminzaque]] (1537–1540)
}}

=== Under the colonial regime ===
[[File:Terra Firma et Novum Regnum Granatense et Popayan - CBT 6621102.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Map of [[Nuevo Reino de Granada]] (1625)]]
When the Muisca structure disappeared under the Spanish Conquest, the territory of the Confederations of the ''zaque'' and ''zipa'' were included in a new political division within the Spanish colonies in America. The territory of the Muisca, located in a fertile plain of the Colombian Andes that contributed to make one of the most advanced South American civilizations, became part of the colonial region named [[Nuevo Reino de Granada]]. Much information about the Muisca culture was gathered by the Spanish administration and by authors such as [[Pedro de Aguado]] and [[Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita]]. The viceregal era contributed to the importance of Bogotá, and people from the area would play an important role in the fights for independence and republican consolidation.

=== Independent Colombia ===
[[File:The earth and its inhabitants (1882) (14774275371).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Muisca people (1882)]]

==== 20th century ====
After independence in 1810, the new state dissolved many of the Indigenous reservations. The one in [[Tocancipá]] was dissolved in 1940.<ref>Decree of August 14, 1940, Republic of Colombia.</ref> The one in [[Sesquilé]] was reduced to 10% of its original size. [[Tenjo]] was reduced to 54% of its original size after 1934, and the Indigenous lands in [[Suba, Bogotá|Suba]], a northern region in modern-day Bogotá, which had been recognized and protected by the crown, were taken away by the republican governments following a strategy of suppression of the native culture and ethnic presence in the country's largest urban centres. The Reservation of [[Cota, Cundinamarca|Cota]] was re-established on land bought by the community in 1916, and then recognized by the 1991 constitution; the recognition was withdrawn in 1998 by the state and restored in 2006.

In 1948 the state forbade the production of [[chicha]], a corn-based alcoholic drink.<ref>Law 34 of 1948, Republic of Colombia.</ref> This was a blow to the culture and economy of the Muisca. The ban remained until 1991. Since then, the "Festival of the chicha, maize, life, and joy" is celebrated every year in Barrio La Perseverancia, a neighborhood in Bogotá where most of the chicha is produced.

==== 21st century ====
[[File:Muisca Indigenous Heritage.webm|thumb|200px|thumbtime=28| [[File:Wikibooks-logo.svg|11px|Wikibooks]] [[Wikibooks:Development Cooperation Handbook/Stories/Muisca Indigenous Heritage|Rediscovery of the Muisca indigenous heritage]]<br/>[[File:Film-Camera.png|17px]] [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTzY9kTw5ufmn65JEvyaJ80Bp75zEQizL El redescubrimiento de la tradición indígena] ]]
Since 1989, there has been a process of reconstruction of the Indigenous councils by the surviving members of the Muisca culture.  Muisca Councils currently working are [[Suba, Bogotá|Suba]], [[Bosa, Bogotá|Bosa]], [[Cota, Cundinamarca|Cota]], [[Chía, Cundinamarca|Chía]], and [[Sesquilé]]. The councils had an Assembly in Bosa on 20–22 September 2002, called the ''First General Congress of the Muisca People''. In that congress, they founded the [[Cabildo Mayor del Pueblo Muisca]], affiliated to the [[National Indigenous Organization of Colombia]] (ONIC).<ref>Abbreviation in Spanish: "Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia"</ref> They proposed linguistic and cultural recuperation, defense of the territories nowadays occupied by others, and proposed urban and tourist plans. They support the communities of [[Ubaté]], [[Tocancipá]], [[Soacha]], [[Ráquira]], and [[Tenjo]] in their efforts to recover their organizational and human rights.

The Muisca people of Suba opposed the drying up of the [[Tibabuyes]] [[wetlands of Bogotá|wetland]] and wanted to recover the [[Juan Amarillo wetland]]. They defended the natural reserves like ''La Conejera'', part of the Suba Hills that is considered by the Shelter's Council to be communal land. ''Suati'' Magazine (''The Song of the Sun'') is a publication of poetry, literature, and essays about Muisca culture.

The community of [[Bosa, Bogotá|Bosa]] made important achievements in its project of natural medicine in association with the Paul VI Hospital and the District Secretary of Health of Bogotá. The community of [[Cota, Cundinamarca|Cota]] has reintroduced the growing of [[quinoa|quinua]], and regularly barter their products at market.

Toward the end of 2006 there was a report on the Muisca population:

* Three Muisca councils: [[Cota, Cundinamarca|Cota]], [[Chía, Cundinamarca|Chía]], and [[Sesquilé]], with a population of 2,318 persons
* in the [[Bogotá|Capital District]] 5,186 people are registered as belonging to the Muisca ethnic group
* in the localities of [[Suba, Bogotá|Suba]] and [[Bosa, Bogotá|Bosa]], 1,573 people are registered
* the report does not include the number of people of the Muisca ethnic group in the entire territory of the ancient Muisca Confederation or outside that territory. It does not include Muisca Creole persons, it is to say, those of mixed Muisca ancestry.