The Mokaná (also Mocaná) are an indigenous people living in the Atlántico Department of Colombia. They are the only indigenous community in the department. ^[1] The Mokaná language, part of the Malibu family of languages, is extinct; only 500 words have been preserved. ^[2]

History

The first contact between the Mokaná and Europeans occurred in 1529 when the Spanish conquistador Jerónimo de Melo led an expedition overland from Santa Marta to Malambo, a settlement on the Rio Magdalena named for the Mokaná cacique Pedro Malambo who governed it at that time. ^[3] The Mokaná largely converted to Christianity in the 16th century.

In 1766, the Spanish Crown granted the Mokaná ownership of 17,500 hectares of land by royal decree. ^[2]

During the Spanish American wars of independence, Mokaná fought in the Magdalena Campaign of 1812 and the siege of Cartagena de Indias in 1821. ^[3]

On 2 May 1998, the Mokaná were officially recognized as an ethnic group by the Government of Colombia. ^[2]

References