MEDELLIN
is Muleteer
Fusion of P assion and T radition
Content The Conquest
3
The Aborigines
4
Colonial Period
5
The Obstacles
6
The Solutions
7
The Settlers
8
Big Company
9
The Villages
10
His Outfits
11
Details
12
Itinerary
13
The Contest The conquerors, hopeful by the stories of those who already knew the new lands, embarked on the ships stationed in Seville. His motivation to leave Spain was not limited solely to a desire for social advancement. Power and wealth, honor and fame were essential ingredients to enroll in the conquering hosts. They aspired to be recognized, and return to Europe loaded with wealth and titles. It was these companies, legally supported by the crown, that made possible the incorporation of the New World into the domains of the Spanish crown.
The first Spaniard to set foot in Antioquia was Rodrigo de Bastidas. Six years later, in 1510, Alonso de Ojeda founded the first town in Urabá. The settlement was actually more of a fort that was called by the name of San Sebastián de Urabá, Less A year later, the settlement turned into chaos and was abandoned by the Spanish, who, overwhelmed by the hostility of the indigenous people, moved to the opposite coast, the western one, where there were better prospects as a center of operation.
3
The Aborigines
After the first decades of Spanish occupation and as a result of mistreatment and European diseases, most of the indigenous peoples were almost completely disappeared. After time there was no longer anyone to be gentlemen. The need, which is a teacher and wake-up call, forced the Spaniards to work and break up the land to till it, as they also did in Spain. The Emberá ethnic group, which means "Good Friend" in their language, is the most representative in Antioquia. Their economy is concentrated in horticulture, where the tomb and rotting are practiced, which translated into their customs means that there is no burning, but that what is lying down is left to decompose and then the new is renewed by planting. They preserve a large part of their traditions, especially oral history and its rituals. The prominent figure in the Emberá worldview is the Jaibaná, who exercises authority, social and territorial control and works as a healer, using plants to communicate with the Jai.
4
Colonial Period
The poverty of Antioquia was relative in relation to the possibilities of the region. The Capuchin religious Fray Joaquín de Finestrad said in this regard, this entire province is weighed down in gold, it is the poorest and most miserable of all, in proportion to the wealth that in it does contain and of the highest value and esteem that it can offer to the Royal Treasury. In this province there was nothing else to live on. Antioquia depended exclusively on gold mining, while agriculture and livestock were practically nil and subsistence, the industry existed in a modest way, the same happened with the artisan workshops
5
The Obstacles The most notorious of the geography of Antioquia is without a doubt the Andean mountain ranges. The coincidence of the Western and Central mountain ranges of this region, creates numerous valleys, plateaus and mountain ranges, which determine a great variety of climates as well as animal and plant species. . In general, Antioquia has always been a mountain region where the paisas have been able to dominate the difficult reliefs of canyons and steep mountains.
The Mono Pattern, as the locals call the Cauca River, is fierce and deep. Impetuous waterfalls move over the mountains that surround the river, tons of water, cream-colored waterfalls, pounce between the mountain ranges of this mountain region. For the barequeros of Cauca, their identity is only conceived as integrated into the river. Barequeo as such is a cultural one, it revolves around gold, the interpretation they give to the metal is not for wealth purposes. These values are part of a social order, of mutual respect, of direct relationship with the canyon and the river.
6
The Solutions The situation in Antioquia in terms of roads was deplorable, there were only a few stretches of proper roads. The rest were bridle paths; Some good, others average and the rest bad. The inconveniences and dangers that arose in those trails and gutters were evident. Just as there were sections in which the terrain was stable and remained passable both in summer and winter, others crossed fragile areas, slippery slopes and very complicated passageways.
Suspension bridges were born as a requirement of progress. The vocation of a people, as well as its entrepreneurial and courageous character, is demonstrated when it faces the development of complex works that allow it to overcome difficulties. The systems to cross it were rudimentary, slow and dangerous, but the settlers were not intimidated by the demands of the road and crossed it with the available methods. When the traffic on the roads grew, it was time to think about building bridges over the rivers.
7
The Settlers The road was built on solid ground and stones were only used on steep terrain. The slabs were installed in the form of stairs for muddy roads. If the mud was very deep, they had to use large stones to have a good support. It was necessary to avoid cutting vertically the ravines and form terraces to lighten the weight. Next to the ravine, a drainage ditch had to be built in order to avoid erosion. In despicable terrain, the ditch was covered in stone and had to have a slope with water outlets towards the opposite side of the trail.
The success of the task depended on the muleteer, the temperament of the beast, and the understanding between the two. It was common to bring replacement mules, to replace those that were lost along the way. Most of the roads were built empirically, in rather poor conditions. To alleviate this problem it was necessary to petition the sovereign state of Antioquia to allow the construction and maintenance of roads. The complaint asked to remember the adage: “For lack of a nail the horseshoe was lost, for lack of the horseshoe the mule was lost, and so on even the horseman and the besieged city”, which meant that it was better to have good roads.
8
Big Company The province of Antioquia during the Colony drew attention for its isolation and poverty, to the point that travelers who visited it compared it to African colonies. After the colonization of Antioquia, there was significant progress in the region. By assuming it as a road company, colonization was an event surrounded by community and group spirit, which was characteristic of the colonizers of that time and who formed a homogeneous social group united by blood, tradition and customs.
The main motivations of the settlers were the cultivation of uncultivated land, the construction of communication routes, the guaquería of indigenous graves, the exploitation of rubber, the fattening of pigs and farmyard animals. It is necessary to add that the success of Antioquia in said company It was essentially due to a very particular practice of agriculture, especially in the way of being, different from that of other regions of the country and the use of certain tools typical of their technology and that allowed them to work at the paisa rhythm.
9
The Villages
In the mid-nineteenth century, southwest Antioquia was still a jungle that isolated Medellín from the southwestern part of the country. The jungle of the territory, the Western Cordillera, the Cauca and San Juan rivers were the obstacles. In reality, the Antioquia province was surrounded by high mountains, difficult to pass due to their high chalk and deep valleys.Peasants from the east, and entire families from Envigado and Medellín, began the migration to the southwest of Antioquia. Poor settlers and merchants who had been granted that territory as compensation for the opening of roads, went down to the banks of the Cauca River and from there ascended to the Western Cordillera, on which they founded entire towns.
10
His Outfits
In Antioquia there were only royal roads, roads clogged with mud and swamp along which only four-legged vehicles with long ears traveled. Their drivers were "boar" men, as those strong individuals who colonized new lands and founded towns are called in this department. History has granted the muleteers a great importance for the development of this mountain region, although the new generations only see in them a paisa legend of hat, poncho, carriel and surriago. Accompanied by their mules progress arrived in Antioquia, the distant province that long ago drew attention for its poverty.
11
Details
To speak of Antioquia is to speak of wild and extremely mountainous lands and an indescribable geography, perhaps comparable to some regions of Tibet. Antioquia also has flat areas, but it is the mountains that distinguish it from other regions. It is not in vain that Medellín, its capital, is called the Capital of the Mountain. The abrupt Cordillera de los Andes crosses Antioquia from south to north, in two branches called Cordillera Occidental and Cordillera Central. Here you can appreciate the infinity of a starry sky that amazes and forces us to think about our smallness.
PRICE 2 Persons 3 Persons 4 Persons 5 a 10 Persons
ROUTE: Rural THEMATIC: Country Construction TYPOLOGY: Cultural DURATION: 3 Days DIFFICULTY: LEVEL 1
12
COP � 2.100.000 C/U � 2.025.000 C/U � 1.950.000 C/U � 1.875.000 C/U
INCLUDE Transfers Guide Lunches Attractions Activities Assistance Assurance
USD � 635 C/U � 615 C/U � 590 C/U � 565 C/U
NO INCLUDE Air ticket Hotel in Medellin Dinner in Medellin Unrelated expenses Tips
Itinerary Day 1: You will arrive at the town of Concepción where you can see large gates, with that special color that the Antioquian towns have. This town of narrow cobblestone streets and magnificent colonial urban architecture dates back to the 18th century. A characteristic of this municipality is that it still preserves the initial layout and the constructions carried out by the founders who came to these lands from Santa Fe de Antioquia. In this picturesque town you will be able to discover a panelero sugar mill, Guava-derived products, and have a guaro in a mountain inn. . Day 2: In the afternoon you will go out for a walk towards the Karmata Rúa Indigenous reservation, of the Emberá indigenous people. You will participate here in a body and face painting workshop, and handicrafts, among other techniques that will allow you to learn the kept secrets and connect with your ancestors and your history. In this refuge you will have a coffee tasting, one of the most representative products of the region. At night you will go to the rural accommodation, where you will spend the night, and you will enjoy a typical "Sancocho" on the edge of the Quebrada la Bonita. Day 3: Very early in the morning, around 5:00 am, you will go in search of the Gallito de Roca, an exotic bird that lives in the mountainous forests. Then you will be part of the Arepa festival, where you will have breakfast and experience the Paisa culture more closely. You will go to the Cueva del Esplendor, there you can connect with nature, learn about the various habitats and their care, during the tour you can leave your mark and plant a tree. When the afternoon arrives, you will return to the town to check out and return to Medellín again.
Bookings: Send us an email to tourenmedellin.com@gmail.com indicating the day of arrival in the city of the travelers, the airline, the flight number, the # of suitcases, the hotel where they will stay, the day in which the travelers wish make the tour, and the number of people, in order to organize all the details, and make this experience truly rewarding.
13
@tour_en_medellin + 573185580858 tourenmedellin.com.co @tourenmedellin tourenmedellin.com@gmail.com