Chibcha

Chibcha refers to a broader language and cultural grouping within the Chibchan family of Indigenous peoples in the Americas, as well as to the language traditionally spoken by the Muisca people of central Colombia. In historical and linguistic contexts, Chibcha is sometimes used to describe the Muysccubun language of the Muisca, as well as other related languages within the Chibchan family that range from parts of Central America to northern Colombia.

Geographically, the core Chibcha-speaking area in pre-Columbian times encompassed the central Andean highlands of present-day Colombia, particularly the Altiplano Cundiboyacense. The Muisca, one of the best-known Chibcha-speaking groups, inhabited what is now Boyacá, Cundinamarca and adjacent regions. They were organized in a loose confederation with regional leaders known as zipa in the south and zaque in the north, and they built a rich agrarian economy complemented by salt mining, metallurgy, and trade networks.

Language and culture are central to the Chibcha identity. Muysccubun, the traditional language of the Muisca, is part of the Chibchan family. It is no longer spoken as a living language, though it has been studied by linguists and some revival efforts exist. The Chibchan languages collectively show a wide geographic spread and diverse linguistic features, reflecting long-standing connections among communities across Central America and northern South America.

Historically, the Muisca culture flourished before Spanish conquest, noted for skilled metalwork and gold artifacts that fed legends of El Dorado. The Spanish arrived in the 16th century, leading to profound demographic and cultural changes and the incorporation of the region into the colonial territory of New Granada. The term Chibcha continues to appear in scholarly and historical discussions of the region.