The lost city begins here. Indigenous history freetour.

"Rescuing the Indigenous History of Santa Marta"

Welcome to a journey through time that will take us to discover the secrets and hidden wonders of the indigenous history of Santa Marta , Colombia.
On this exciting free tour, we will explore an intriguing period, which has been largely overshadowed by traditional accounts. It is a great opportunity if you plan to go to the lost city and want to understand the entire context. What happened in Santa Marta between the 16th and 19th centuries? Why the historical silence and the apparent lack of interest in these events? Was it the influence of the Catholic Church that erased these traces?

Join us as we unearth forgotten treasures and reveal the mysteries behind the Black Line, a spiritual belief that marks a symbolic border between the world of the indigenous people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the outside world.

Stop 1: Tayrona Gold Museum

• We will begin our tour at the Tayrona Gold Museum, where we will learn about the Tayrona culture that inhabited the region long before the arrival of the Spanish. We will explore the crafts and gold and ceramic objects that reveal the cultural richness of this pre-Columbian civilization.

Stop 2: The Black Line

• The Black Line is a spiritual belief of the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, including the Kogui. This symbolic border marks the separation between their sacred territory and the outside world. We will discuss the importance of this belief and how it influenced the history and relationship of the indigenous people with Santa Marta.

Stop 3: Magdalena University Museum

• We will continue our trip at the Magdalena University Museum. Here, we will explore "historical silence" and how the indigenous history of Santa Marta was marginalized or ignored in the colonial period and after. We will learn about current efforts to recover and preserve this history.

Stop 4: Churches and Devastation of Indigenous Tradition

• We will visit some historic churches in Santa Marta and talk about how the arrival of the Spanish negatively impacted indigenous tradition. We will discuss forced conversion to Catholicism, the destruction of indigenous temples, and the loss of ancestral knowledge.

Stop 5: Guaqueros and Treasure Seekers

• We will address the topic of guaqueros and treasure hunters, who have looted indigenous archaeological sites in search of valuable objects. We will discuss how this activity has contributed to the loss of valuable information about the indigenous history of the region.

Stop 6: Church of San Francisco

• We will end our tour at the Church of San Francisco, a historical place where we will reflect on the transformation of the indigenous religion over the centuries and its influence on the culture and identity of Santa Marta.

This free tour will provide participants with a more complete view of the indigenous history of Santa Marta before the arrival of the Spanish and how it has been preserved and recovered over time. The challenges and importance of preserving this rich cultural heritage will also be highlighted.