DIAGUITAS: LOCATION, CULTURE, CUSTOMS, CLOTHING, RELIGION - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Diaguitas was the name created by the Incas for a series of independent peoples who had a common language: Cacán. Later, the name was also used by the Spanish conquerors.

The Diaguitas, in addition to the common language, also shared a series of physical and cultural traits. This civilization developed between the 8th and 16th centuries in a territory that encompassed northwestern Argentina and the Norte Chico de Chile. In these areas they built large settlements that, in some cases, reached 3,000 inhabitants.

Descendant of Diaguitas

Its main activity was agriculture. In this field they developed very elaborate techniques to obtain the maximum possible benefit from the crops, which allowed them to trade with the surpluses. Likewise, the diaguitas worked metals and reached a high degree of perfection in crafts and in making fabrics.

Currently there are descendants of the Diaguitas in Argentina, although the number is difficult to specify given the disparity of the sources. In Chile, for its part, there is also a group that declares itself related to this people. In all current communities some traditions have been preserved such as the cult of Pachamama.

Location

The territory inhabited by the Diaguitas in present-day Argentina included the current provinces of Tucumán, Jujuy, La Rioja, Catamarca and Salta. Furthermore, they were also found in the northwest of Córdoba and in the north of San Juan.

In Chile, for its part, this town inhabited the so-called Norte Chico, in the valleys of Atacama and Coquimbo.

According to archaeological findings, the diaguitas arrived in the Chilean Norte Chico from northwestern Argentina, around the 5th and 6th centuries.

The archaeologists affirm that the relations between the diaguitas of both zones were quite fluid. In the Argentine deposits, remains of molluscs and shellfish from Chile have been found, while in the Chilean deposits, ceramic samples typical of the Argentine settlements have appeared.

Lifestyle

The Spanish chroniclers left some description of the physical appearance of the Diaguitas. They had tanned skin and black hair and their height ranged from five to five feet to five feet.

Social organization

The social organization of the Diaguitas was not as stratified as that of the Incas. Their society was structured around families gathered in clans related by a common ancestor.

Some historians claim that polygamy was very common in this town, especially among clan leaders. It is known, for example, that if a man died, his brother inherited the wives. Despite this, it is believed that the family nuclei were not very large.

Similarly, evidence has been found of initiation ceremonies for young men reaching puberty. This used to consist of circumcision rites that were performed by the shaman of the settlement.

Their culture had a strong warrior component. Thus, young men could not marry until they finished their military service. After this, they reached the status of warrior.

Political organization

The different Diaguita settlements were never united to form a unitary state. Some historians describe their political organization as a kind of federation of manors.

Each village or settlement was governed by a cacique who exercised very strong leadership. The position was hereditary, passed from father to son. However, the most important decisions were taken collectively, in a ceremonial assembly. All inhabitants of the age to take up arms could participate in the meeting.

This system of community decision-making also extended to the military sphere. Faced with any threat, the Diaguitas collectively organized to defend themselves. According to the chronicles, this helped them to resist for long years against the Spanish.

Households

Some houses were made with light materials of plant origin. Among them stood out the one belonging to the leader of the settlement, called the ramada or big house.

The most advanced homes were rectangular in shape and consisted of several interconnected rooms. The diaguitas did not incorporate windows into the rooms and only left a narrow space to fulfill the function of a door.

These more developed houses used to have stone walls and thatched or cake roofs. The best examples of these dwellings were in Quilmes, Tolombón or La Paya.

After the arrival of the Incas, the Diaguitas raised the so-called pucarás. These were authentic fortress cities located in areas difficult to access for any potential attacker.

Language

The language spoken by the Diaguitas was cacán, also known as kaká, chaka or caca. Some experts also call it calchaquí.

This language was characterized by the guttural pronunciation of most of the words. Today it is extinct, but at the time there were several dialect groups.

Historical records, such as the one made by Jerónimo de Vivar in 1558, seem to indicate that the differences between these dialects were basically one of lexicon.

Thus, in the Calchaquíes valleys, in Santa María and in Tucumán the northern cacan was spoken. For their part, in Catamarca, the north of La Rioja and part of Santiago de Estero, the Diaguitas used the southern cacán.

Finally, in the north of the province of San Juan and in the west and south of La Rioja, Capayán was spoken.

Culture and customs

The Diaguita culture was archaeologically encompassed with the so-called Santamariana culture, dated between 850 and 1480.

However, the influence of the Incas is notorious after this empire conquered the territories inhabited by the Diaguitas. This influence is easily recognizable in ceramic styles or religion.

Pottery and ceramics

Diaguita ceramic - Source: Jim Cadwell

Pottery was one of the activities in which the Diaguitas achieved greater mastery. Each family was in charge of making their own pots and pots, while there were master potters specialized in, for example, funeral urns.

These urns, used in burials, showed certain regional variations. Thus, in the Chilean zone, the influence of other northern peoples caused the potters to give them zoomorphic or anthropomorphic forms. In addition to pottery, the diaguitas were also great weavers and basket makers.

Ceramics, on the other hand, were decorated with human figures in relief, animal paintings or geometric engravings. His designs were inspired, according to some experts, by shamanic visions. Many of them were also decorated with feline motifs. They also made masks

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kmX27EaN44

Architecture

The Diaguitas built fortified villages that included reservoirs for water and platforms for agriculture. In both cases, the structures were reinforced with stone.

For their part, the houses used to be square huts built with clay, bamboo, straw and wood.

In some areas, such as Quilmes, the inhabitants changed their construction style to adapt to the hotter climatic conditions.

In this case, the houses were partly underground and built with stones. The roofs were made of cactus wood. The center of the house used to be open to the outside and had entrances to cameras that functioned as warehouses.

As noted above, the Diaguitas also practiced military architecture. Its buildings designed for defense were called pucaras and they were heavily fortified. In the same way, they were prepared to withstand long sieges, since they had water and food reserves.

Weapons

The weapons most used by the diaguitas were bows and arrows, stone-headed maces, spears and, in the plains, balls.

On the other hand, it is known that they made copper and bronze objects, although very few have survived to this day. Despite the few remains found, it is known that their knowledge of metallurgy allowed them to make needles or hoes to work in the fields.

Textile works

As noted, the diaguitas were excellent weavers. Their skill allowed them to make very complex pieces, among which the tunics, ponchos or aguayos stood out.

Similarly, blankets made with llama or vicuña wool were also highly valued. To dye them they used pigments extracted from carob, cactus flowers or other resins. Finally, his sandals, called ushutas, were another of his contributions.

Medicinal dolls also stand out, which are still being made today:

They never cut their hair

A very important custom for the diaguitas was to wear long hair. In fact, for this town it was very offensive to cut someone's hair. The Spanish conquerors used the haircut as punishment.

The hair used to be collected in braids decorated with pieces of copper, feathers, wooden needles, horns and silver.

Clothing

The chroniclers of the time have left a series of descriptions that allow us to know how the ancient diaguitas wore. Archaeological finds that show images, such as ceramics or petroglyphs, have also contributed to this knowledge.

The diaguitas, as noted, were very skilled when it came to working with fabrics. These allowed them to make different garments, such as tunics, ponchos or aguayos. Later, they dyed them with vegetable pigments.

Men used to wear a one-piece garment, without pockets or collar. To this a leather or cloth belt was added before going hunting or attending any social gathering.

Women

The women, for their part, wore a garment called a tunic (tunika according to some sources). The color of this served to differentiate their marital status, with those of colors reserved for girls and those of a single color for married women.

The tunics were made with llama wool or vicuña hair and can still be seen in the Argentine Diaguita population.

Religion

The members of this people worshiped the elements and natural phenomena, beginning with the Sun, thunder and lightning.

These last two phenomena were considered as gods of the Andes, mountains connected with Mother Earth.

Two worlds

The study of the dual diaguita ceramics has led experts to affirm that this people believed in the existence of two worlds. The shamans were the link between the two.

On the other hand, the Inca influence after the invasion was reflected in some divinities and mythological beings. Among them, Llastay, Yacurmana, Pujllay or Huayrapuca stood out. Along with the previous ones, the Chiqui also stood out, a deity from Peruvian territory that symbolized bad luck.

Two other divinities imposed by the Incas and who reached great importance among the Diaguitas were Inti and Pachamama, which is still the object of ceremonies today.

Mythology

For the Diaguitas, the Pachamama was represented (and still is) as a short woman, with large feet and a wide-brimmed hat. For this town it is the mother of the hills and of men and its temple is all of nature.

According to legend, the Pachamama is always accompanied by an entourage made up of Pujllay (who presides over the carnival), Llajtay (god of birds) and Ñusta (an Inca maiden).

In general terms, the Pachamama is the feminine goddess of fertility and the earth. For her followers, she identifies herself as a mother who feeds, protects and sustains human beings. This has led to her being considered the goddess of communal agriculture, a fundamental practice among the Andean peoples.

Spirituality and cemeteries

One of the elements that the Diaguitas used to worship their dead were the menhirs. Those who arose in northern Argentina were associated with seasonal fertility cults.

The members of this people believed in that there was an afterlife and in the existence of the soul. For this reason, they paid great attention to funeral rites. Once conquered by the Incas, they introduced the tradition of erecting altars on the highest hills in the valleys.

At the time of making the burials, the diaguitas introduced the bodies into ceramic funeral urns built expressly to fulfill this function.

Archaeologists have found many burials in which there were remains of sacrificed llamas or guanacos, the belongings of the deceased, or metal or bone utensils. In very special cases, the wives of the deceased were also buried next to her.

The bodies were placed flexed, lying on one side and oriented from east to west. The head was always oriented towards the east, in the direction of the place where the sun rose.

Ceremonies

Aside from funeral ceremonies, the Diaguitas also performed other important rites. Although in smaller numbers than in other cultures of the time, this town made human sacrifices, especially of children, with the purpose of attracting rain. In addition, they also held fertility ceremonies in the fields.

Economy

All the experts emphasize that the diaguitas made the most of the natural resources they found in their surroundings. This town respected the ecological balance of the region when developing its agricultural activities.

In this way, it is affirmed that no subsequent system managed to sustain such a large population without affecting natural resources.

The diaguitas were not limited only to take advantage of resources related to agriculture. The high mountain areas they inhabited contained gold, silver and obsidian and their craftsmen took advantage of these metals to make various objects. In addition, they also obtained salt from the mines.

farming

The most important economic activity in the Diaguita culture was agriculture. The heads of the clans distributed the land among the population, as well as being in charge of organizing the construction and care of the terraces on which it was cultivated.

The land was worked communally and part of the harvest was stored in common warehouses. The most common products were corn, the basis of their diet, squash, quinoa, chili peppers and potatoes.

Another important activity was the collection of wild fruits (carob, copao or chañar). Cotton, essential for its textile industry, was also an important part of its economy.

To increase the fertility of their lands, the Diaguitas devised a system of irrigation canals that carried the necessary water to their crops. In general, the upper parts of the terraces were used to plant potatoes and quinoa.

Cattle raising

Although less important than agriculture, the Diaguitas also practiced livestock. This was of the transhumant type and focused on the breeding of alpacas, tarucas and llamas. The normal thing was that the animals grazed on the banks of the valley until, when summer arrived, they were transferred to the mountain range.

Animals were used as a source of food and to obtain wool. Likewise, their bones were used to make tools.

In the areas near the sea, in Chile, the diaguitas included various marine animals in their diet. Fish, shellfish and marine mammals were part of the usual diet. Fishing was not limited to the coastal areas, since they made rafts with leather to be able to sail out to sea. It has been found that they came to hunt whales.

Commerce

The archaeological remains confirm that the diaguitas from the coast and those from the interior traded among themselves. The inhabitants of each zone exchanged the products that were scarce in the other.

Feeding

As noted, agriculture was the main source of food for the Diaguitas. The most important product was corn, the basic cereal of their diet. Other fundamental crops in their diet were potatoes, quinoa, peppers or squash.

To complete the diet, the diaguitas collected wild fruits such as copao or carob. The meat obtained from the cattle ranch used to be dried in the sun to obtain charqui, a type of meat with dried salt.

Finally, in Chile the presence of fish or shellfish in the daily diet was common. Thanks to trade, it is known that the diaguitas of Argentina also enjoyed these marine products, although to a lesser extent.

Diaguitas today

The situation of the Diaguitas today is different in each of the areas that they historically inhabited.

Thus, the Huascoaltina community of Chile has initiated a series of actions to revitalize the recognition of this people, something that the government of the country has accepted. However, academics doubt whether that community is really heir to the ancient diaguitas.

For its part, in Argentina there are more Diaguita communities. Their number, however, is not very clear, since the censuses carried out offer different figures. Furthermore, many children are often not registered.

The Argentine Diaguita communities live in mountainous territories, with very complicated accesses. This, together with chronic problems such as drought, makes the life of the members of these peoples very complicated.

Censuses in Argentina

As noted, the different census studies carried out in Argentina have yielded disparate results.

The Complementary Survey of Indigenous Peoples (ECPI), carried out in 2010, reflected the existence of 31,753 diaguitas, adding those that were considered as such and those that were proven descendants.

Of that number, almost 15,000 lived in Cajamarca, Salta, and Tucumán; 6 138 in Catamarca, La Rioja, Santa Fe, Córdoba and Santiago de Estero; 6,217 in the country's capital; and 4588 in the rest of Argentina.

For its part, the 2010 National Population Census showed different figures. According to this survey, 67 410 people identified themselves as diaguitas. In this case, the majority resided in Buenos Aires (14,269).

Diaguita situation today

A good part of the current diaguitas in Argentina are dedicated to cutting and selling wood. They are the so-called axmen, a very hard job that the members of this town carry out since they were children.

Another fairly common trade is herding. Most of the time it is not their own livestock, but they take care of the cows and goats of large owners.

The Diaguitas, despite having inhabited these lands for centuries, are not recognized as their owners. The economic situation is often precarious and, in many areas, they even have problems accessing clean water.

Current ceremonies

As with the rest of the indigenous peoples after the conquest, the Diaguitas were stripped of their ancient beliefs and forced to embrace Catholicism. This religion has become the most followed in today's communities, although its members have preserved some of their nature-based traditions.

References

1. Original towns. Diaguita. Obtained from pueblosoriginario.com
2. EcuRed. Diaguitas (ethnic group). Obtained from ecured.cu
3. Icarito. The diaguitas. Obtained from icarito.cl
4. Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. Native People - Diaguita. Obtained from chileprecolombino.cl/
5. Chile Travel. Diaguitas. Obtained from chile.travel
6. Pekarek, Martin. The indigenous peoples of the Calchaqui Valleys. The Condor Valley. Retrieved from condorvalley.org
7. Revolvy. Diaguita. Retrieved from revolvy.com