Arhuacos in Colombia

In 1982, Arhuacos took action to evict a Roman Catholic mission which attempted to prohibit the use of national dress and language. In 1990, the Colombian military tortured and killed Arhuaco leaders. This unprovoked violence seems to have been in response to the activities of the leftist guerilla group FARC.

Arhuacos have been on the forefront of the indigenous peoples’ rights movement. In 1974, their region received recognition as an indigenous reserve; it was declared a protected area in 1984. Nevertheless, since the 1980’s, the lands of the Arhuaco people have become a battleground between growers of illicit crops and the Colombian government. In 2004, the community was the site of a vicious bomb attack by the army. Spiritual leader Mariano Suárez Chaparro was also assassinated the same year.

In 2023, and in order to comply with an order from a judge of the Republic, the Colombian government delivered to the community a document for the expansion of the Kogui Malayo Arhuaco reserve, granting this indigenous community more than 490 hectares of land.

Colonialism and latterly land encroachment, both by official and corporate interests as well as drug-related activities, have pushed Arhuaco communities from much of their southernmost territories and up to higher ground. Their land rights continue to be threatened by mining. Hundreds of concessions have been granted by the Colombian government in their territory, with hundreds more pending approval – a situation that communities fear could threaten the survival of their culture and way of life.

As with mountain communities elsewhere, the Arhuaco people are very vulnerable to the impact of the climate crisis. Wind and rain patterns have been disrupted, affecting the small-scale agriculture upon which their livelihoods depend.