The airport is named after
Furatena, a
cacica of the
Muzo and the double mountain peak close to the airport, Fura and Tena. The mountains, separated by the
Minero River and located in the
San Pablo de Borbur and
Pauna respectively, were considered sacred by the Muzo. According to the Muzo legends, the tears of
Fura turned into emeralds and
butterflies. The
Muisca performed secret pilgrimages to
Fura and
Tena, avoiding the Muzo warriors to discover them. In his work
Compendio historial de la conquista del Nuevo Reino de Granada,
Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita tells about the existence of a
cacica named
Furatena.
Furatena was the owner of the finest
emeralds of the Muzo territories and in the early years of the
Spanish conquest,
zipa Sagipa wanted to see
Furatena. == See also ==