La encomienda y las sociedades indígenas del nuevo reino de Granada: el caso de la provincia de Pamplona (1549-1650)

Abstract

This article is about the introduction of the encomienda system in the indigenous communities of the Pamplona Province (East-North region of the New Kingdom of Granada, actual Colombia) as a result of the Spanish Conquest. The sources used are the visits of oidores of the Santafé Real Audiencia as a basis for the reconstruction of the main lines of the changing process. It is argued that different domination strategies were enforced in this region according the the natives’ different organization systems –from ierarchical cacicazgos up to more egalitarian tribal societies. The main aim of this work is to show that far from being a monolithic instiitution, the encomienda had to adapt itself to a variety of circumstances.