Native people of Antioquia Before Spanish colonization,
Indigenous peoples inhabited the Antioquia region. Some specialists believe they came from
Caribbean Sea, while others say they came from the interior
Amazon River. Antioquia was primarily populated by the
Kalina or "Mainland Caribs." Some scattered groups of
Muisca were said to be present in the
Darién region, a coastal region in the far north that is now in
Panama, but no historical records refer to Muisca in Antioquia. The Kalina in Antioquia comprised smaller groups called families. The most prominent were the Catía,
Nutabe, and
Tahamí, who inhabited central Antioquia. The
Quimbaya occupied southern Antioquia. The Quimbaya, Kalina, and Muisca were the most prominent groups the
conquistadores encountered upon their arrival in Antioquia. The Spaniards had a turbulent history of encounters with the Carib. Although the tribe was numerous and known for its warring culture, the Spaniards dominated or exterminated them in the process of
conquest and
colonization. Like all
indigenous peoples of the Americas, many died in
virgin soil epidemics of diseases endemic to Eurasia. Some surviving natives dispersed to evade the Spanish, and some committed suicide to escape
slavery. Many survivors fled to what is now
Chocó department. Barely 0.5% of Antioquia's population is Indigenous, but most residents have a significant Indigenous genetic component (26% on average).
Basque and Jewish influence in Antioquia Spain's
Basque Country and
Jews have influenced Antioquia and its language since the Spanish colonization. This began in 1499 during the
third voyage of Columbus. The owner and master of the
Santa María, second in command to Columbus, was
Juan de la Cosa, nicknamed
el Vizcaino ("the
Biscayan"). Hundreds of
Basques settled in the area, sponsored by the Spanish colonization companies.
Dialect Immigrants influenced the Spanish spoken in Antioquia in several ways: • Immigrants from
Andalusia and the
Canary Islands brought their preference for
seseo, a uniform pronunciation of "s", "z", and soft "c". • However, those from
Extremadura favored an
apico-alveolar sound (part way to "sh"). • The
digraph "ll" (double L) is
affricative, like English "j". • Certain words beginning with "r" are
prefixed by "a" (with the "r" doubled to continue to indicate that it is trilled): • instead of • instead of • instead of . • Specific words have been adopted, such as (useless, inept) and (tap).
Local character It has been asserted since the mid-nineteenth century that Basque and Jewish origins have influenced the character of Antioquia. Specific evidence of cultural contribution is sparse, perhaps partly because Basque is not dominant in Spain. However, American historian Everett Hagen sampled the Medellín telephone directory in 1957 and found that 15% of the surnames were of Basque origin, but 25% of the employers were. He concluded that Basque influence was important in explaining the increased industrial development of Antioquia in Colombia. The study reinforced notions of the character of social groups, though it has been criticized as stereotypical.
Spaniards in Antioquia The first Spaniard known to have visited the territory now known as Antioquia was
Rodrigo de Bastidas, who explored the area around the future site of
Darién in 1500. Ten years later,
Alonso de Ojeda founded
San Sebastián de Urabá, 2 km from the present-day town of
Necoclí. It was later destroyed by the natives. The first Spanish military incursion into Antioquia, however, was not made until 1537. An expedition commanded by
Francisco César traveled through the lands of chief Dabeiba, arriving at the
Cauca River. They were said to have taken important treasures from the indigenous people's tombs. In response, the warriors of chief Nutibara harassed the Spaniards continually, and forced them to return to
Urabá. In 1541, the conquistador
Jorge Robledo departed from the site of the future (1542) Spanish town of Arma, a little below Aguadas in the North of Caldas, to lead an expedition north on the Cauca River. Farther north, Robledo would found the city of
Santa Fe de Antioquia, which in 1813 was declared the capital of the sovereign and independent state of Antioquia, and remained the seat of the governate until 1826, when Medellín was designated the capital.
16th to the 21st centuries Due to its geographical isolation, being located among mountains, Antioquia suffered supply problems. Its topography did not allow for much agriculture, so the city became dependent upon trade, especially of gold and gin for the colonization of new land. Much of this trade was due to reforms passed after a 1785 visit from
Juan Antonio Mon y Velarde, an inspector of the Spanish Crown. The Antioquia became colonizers and traders. The department was hard hit by the
Colombian conflict, with 30,000 people missing between 1997 and 2005.
The Wall Street Journal and Citi announced in the year 2013 that
Medellín, the capital of the department of Antioquia, is the winner of the City of the Year competition, a global program developed in partnership with the
Urban Land Institute to recognize the most innovative urban centers. Medellín was ranked above the other finalists,
Tel Aviv and
New York City. == Administrative divisions ==