Muisca - Political and Administrative Organization

Political and Administrative Organization

The Muiscan people were organized in a confederation that was a loose union of states that each retained sovereignty. The Confederation was not a kingdom, as there was no absolute monarch, nor was it an empire, because it did not dominate other ethnic groups or peoples. The Muiscan Confederation cannot be compared with other American civilizations such as the Aztec or the Inca empires. The Muiscan Confederation was one of the biggest and best-organized confederations of tribes on the South American continent.

Every tribe within the confederation was ruled by a chief or cacique. Most of the tribes were part of the Muisca ethnic group, sharing the same language and culture, and relating through trade. They united in the face of a common enemy. The army was the responsibility of the Zipa or Zaque. The army was made up of the güeches, the traditional ancient warriors of the Muisca.

The Muiscan Confederation existed as the union of two lesser confederations. The southern confederation, headed by the Zipa, had its capital at Bacatá (now Bogotá). This southern polity included the majority of the Muisca population and held greater economic power.

The northern confederation was ruled by the Zaque, and had its capital at Hunza, known today as Tunja. Although both confederations had common political relations and affinities and belonged to the same tribal nation, there were still rivalries between them. Among the confederations, there were four chiefdoms: Bacatá, Hunza, Duitama, and Sogamoso. The chiefdom was composed by localities. The tribes were divided into Capitanías (ruled by a Capitan. There were two kinds: Great Capitania (sybyn) and Minor Capitania (uta). The status of Capitan was inherited by maternal lineage.

• Territories of the Zipa:

1. Bacatá District: Teusaquillo, Tenjo, Subachoque, Facatativá, Tabio, Cota, Chía, Usaquén, Engativá, Suba, Sopó, Usme, and Zipacón
2. Fusagasugá District: Fusagasugá, Pasca, and Tibacuy
3. Zipaquirá District: Nemocón, Susa, Lenguazaque, Ubaté, Simijaca, and Chocontá
4. Gachetá District: Gachetá, Guatavita, and Suesca

• Territories of the Zaque: Soratá, Ramiriquí, Machetá, Tenza, Tibirito, Lenguazaque, and Turmequé
• Territory of Tundama: Cerinza, Ocabitá, Onzaga, Ibacucu, Sativa, Tibaná, and others
• Territory of Sugamuxi: Bosbanza, Toca, Sogamoso, and others
• Autonomous chiefdoms: Guaneta, Charalá, Chipata, Tinjacá, and others

The Muisca legislation was consuetudinary, that is to say, their rule of law was determined by long-extant customs with the approval of the Zipa or Zaque. This kind of legislation was suitable to a confederation system, and it was a well-organized one. The natural resources could not be privatized: woods, lakes, plateaus, rivers and other natural resources were common goods.