The Gilded Chief of Lake Guatavita

Mis padres fueron de los primeros conquistadores i pobladores de este Nuevo Reino. Fué mi padre soldado de Pedro Ursua, aquel a quien Lope de Aguirre mató despues en el Marañon, aunque no se halló con él en este Reino sino mucho ántes, en las jornadas de Tairona, Valle de Upar i Rio del Hacha, Pamplona i otras partes. Yo, en mi mocedad, pasé de este Reino a los de Castilla, a donde estuve seis años. Volví a él i he corrido mucha parte de él, i entre los muchos amigos que tuve, fué uno Don Juan, Cacique i señor de Guatavita, sobrino de aquel que hallaron los conquistadores en la silla al tiempo que conquistaron este Reino; el cual sucedió luego a su tio, i me contó estas antigüedades i las siguientes.

My parents were among the first conquerors and settlers of this New Kingdom. My father was a soldier of Pedro Ursúa, he whom Lope de Aguirre killed afterward on the Marañón, although he was not with him in this Kingdom but much earlier, in the expeditions of Tairona, Valle de Upar and Río del Hacha, Pamplona and other parts. I, in my youth, passed from this Kingdom to those of Castile, where I was six years. I returned to it and have traveled through much of it, and among the many friends I had was one Don Juan, Cacique and lord of Guatavita, nephew of the one whom the conquerors found in the seat at the time they conquered this Kingdom; who succeeded his uncle soon after, and told me these antiquities and the following ones.

My parents were among the first conquerors and settlers of this New Kingdom. My father was a soldier of Pedro Ursúa, the man Lope de Aguirre later killed on the Marañón.1 But my father was not with him then. He served with him much earlier, in this kingdom, on the campaigns to Tairona, Valle de Upar, Río del Hacha, Pamplona, and other places. In my youth I went from this kingdom to Castile and stayed there six years. I came back, and I have traveled over much of this land. Among my many friends was one Don Juan, cacique and lord of Guatavita.2 He was the nephew of the lord the conquerors found on the throne when they conquered this kingdom, and he succeeded his uncle soon after. He told me about these old times, and about what follows.

1. Pedro de Ursúa led a Spanish expedition down the Amazon (the Marañón) in 1560, where he was killed by one of his own officers, Lope de Aguirre.
2. Guatavita, a Muisca lordship northeast of Bogotá. Its lord was one of the leading Muisca rulers when the Spaniards arrived in 1537.

Díjome que al tiempo que los españoles entraron por Vélez al descubrimiento de este Reino i su conquista, él estaba en el ayuno para la sucesion del señorío de su tio; porque entre ellos heredaban los sobrinos hijos de hermana, i se guarda esa costumbre hasta hoi dia; i que cuando entró en este ayuno ya él conocia mujeres; el cual ayuno i ceremonias eran como se sigue.

He told me that at the time the Spaniards entered by Vélez for the discovery of this Kingdom and its conquest, he was in the fast for the succession to the lordship of his uncle; because among them the nephews, sons of a sister, inherited, and that custom is kept until today; and that when he entered this fast he already knew women; which fast and ceremonies were as follows.

He told me that when the Spaniards came in by way of Vélez to discover and conquer this kingdom, he was in the fast for succeeding to his uncle's lordship. Among them, the heirs were nephews, the sons of a sister,3 and that custom is still kept today. He said that when he began this fast he had already been with women. The fast and the ceremonies went as follows.

3. Among the Muisca, rule passed from a man to his sister's son.

Era costumbre entre estos naturales, que el que habia de ser sucesor i heredero del señorío o cacicazgo de su tio, a quien heredaba, habia de ayunar seis años, metido en una cueva que tenian dedicada i señalada para esto, i que en todo este tiempo no habia de tener parte con mujeres, ni comer carne, sal ni ají, i otras cosas que les vedaban; i entre ellas que, durante el ayuno, no habian de ver el sol; solo de noche tenian licencia para salir de la cueva, i ver la luna i estrellas, i recojerse ántes que el sol los viese; i cumplido de este ayuno i ceremonias se metian en posesion del cacicazgo o señorío, i la primera jornada que habian de hacer, era ir a la gran laguna de Guatavita a ofrecer i sacrificar al demonio, que tenian por su dios i señor.

It was the custom among these natives that he who was to be successor and heir of the lordship or chiefdom of his uncle, whom he inherited, had to fast six years, shut in a cave that they had dedicated and marked for this, and that in all this time he was not to have [a] part with women, nor eat meat, salt or chili, and other things that they forbade them; and among them that during the fast they were not to see the sun; only by night had they leave to go out of the cave and see the moon and stars, and withdraw before the sun saw them; and having completed this fast and ceremonies they put themselves in possession of the chiefdom or lordship, and the first journey that they had to make was to go to the great lake of Guatavita to offer and sacrifice to the devil, whom they held for their god and lord.

Among these natives, the man who was to inherit his uncle's lordship, or chiefdom, had to fast for six years. He was shut in a cave set apart for this purpose. In all that time he could not be with women, or eat meat, salt, or chili peppers, or certain other forbidden things. Among the rules was that during the fast they must not see the sun. Only at night were they allowed to leave the cave and see the moon and stars, and they had to go back in before the sun could see them. When the fast and ceremonies were complete, they took possession of the chiefdom or lordship. The first journey they had to make was to the great lake of Guatavita, to make offerings and sacrifice to the devil, whom they held to be their god and lord.4

4. Rodríguez Freyle shares the usual Christian view of his time, that the gods of non-Christian peoples were demons.

La ceremonia que en esto habia era, que en aquella laguna se hacia una gran balsa de juncos, aderezábanla i adornábanla todo lo mas vistoso que podian; metian en ella cuatro braseros encendidos, en que desde luego quemaban mucho moque, que es el zahumerio de estos naturales, i trementina con otros muchos i diversos perfumes. Estaba a este tiempo toda la laguna en redondo, con ser mui grande i hondable de tal manera que puede navegar en ella un navío de alto bordo, la cual estaba toda coronada de infinidad de indios e indias, con mucha plumería, chagualas i coronas de oro, con infinitos fuegos a la redonda, i luego que en la balsa comenzaba el zahumerio, lo encendian en tierra, en tal manera, que el humo impedia la luz del dia.

The ceremony that there was in this was that on that lake a great raft of rushes was made; they fitted it out and adorned it as showily as they could; they put in it four lighted braziers, in which at once they burned much moque, which is the incense of these natives, and turpentine with many other and diverse perfumes. At this time the whole lake all around, though it is very large and deep, in such a way that a high-sided ship can sail on it, was all crowned with an infinity of Indian men and women, with much featherwork, chagualas and crowns of gold, with infinite fires all around; and as soon as on the raft the incense began, they lit it on land, in such a manner that the smoke blocked the light of the day.

The ceremony went like this. On the lake they built a great raft of reeds, fitted out and decorated as splendidly as they could. On it they placed four lighted braziers, in which they burned a great deal of moque,5 the incense of these natives, with turpentine and many other kinds of perfume. The lake is very large and so deep that a tall-sided ship could sail on it. At this moment its whole shore, all the way around, was crowned with countless Indian men and women. They wore rich featherwork, gold ornaments,6 and gold crowns, and countless fires burned all around. As soon as the incense began to burn on the raft, they lit it on the shore too, so thickly that the smoke blocked out the daylight.

5. Moque, a resin burned as incense by the Muisca. The writer calls it their incense.
6. Chagualas, gold ornaments worn hanging from the nose or ears, or on the chest.

A este tiempo desnudaban al heredero en carnes vivas, i lo untaban con una tierra pegajosa i lo espolvoreaban con oro en polvo i molido, de tal manera que iba cubierto todo de este metal. Metíanle en la balsa, en la cual iba parado, i a los piés le ponian un gran monton de oro i esmeraldas para que ofreciese a su dios. Entraban con él en la balsa cuatro caciques los mas principales, sus sujetos, mui aderezados de plumería, coronas de oro, brazales i chagualas, i orejeras de oro, tambien desnudos, i cada cual llevaba su ofrecimiento.

At this time they stripped the heir to his bare flesh, and anointed him with a sticky earth and powdered him with gold in dust and ground, in such a way that he went covered all with this metal. They put him on the raft, on which he went standing, and at his feet they put a great heap of gold and emeralds for him to offer to his god. There entered with him on the raft four caciques, the most principal, his subjects, much adorned with featherwork, crowns of gold, armbands and chagualas and ear ornaments of gold, also naked, and each one carried his offering.

Then they stripped the heir completely naked. They smeared him with a sticky earth and dusted him with finely ground gold, so that he was covered all over with the metal. They put him on the raft, where he stood, and at his feet they placed a great heap of gold and emeralds for him to offer to his god. Four of the most important caciques, his subjects, went with him on the raft. They were richly adorned with featherwork, gold crowns, armbands, ornaments, and gold ear spools. They too were naked, and each one carried his own offering.

En partiendo la balsa de tierra comenzaban los instrumentos, cornetas, fotutos i otros instrumentos, i con esto una gran vocería que atronaba montes i valles; i duraba hasta que la balsa llegaba al medio de la laguna, de donde, con una bandera, se hacia señal para el silencio. Hacia el indio dorado su ofrecimiento echando todo el oro que llevaba a los piés en el medio de la laguna, i los demas caciques que iban con él i le acompañaban, hacian lo propio; lo cual acabado, abatian la bandera, que en todo el tiempo que gastaban en el ofrecimiento la tenian levantada, i partiendo la balsa a tierra comenzaba la grita, gaitas i fotutos con mui largos corros de bailes i danzas a su modo; con la cual ceremonia recibian al nuevo electo, i quedaba reconocido por señor i príncipe.

On the raft's leaving the land the instruments began, horns, fotutos and other instruments, and with this a great shouting that thundered [through] mountains and valleys; and it lasted until the raft arrived at the middle of the lake, from where, with a banner, a signal was made for silence. The gilded Indian made his offering, throwing all the gold that he carried at his feet into the middle of the lake, and the other caciques who went with him and accompanied him did the same; which finished, they lowered the banner, which in all the time they spent in the offering they kept raised, and the raft setting off to land, the shouting began, pipes and fotutos, with very long rings of dances and dancing in their manner; with which ceremony they received the newly chosen one, and he remained recognized as lord and prince.

As the raft pushed off from the shore, the instruments began: horns, fotutos,7 and others. With them rose a great shouting that thundered over the hills and valleys. It lasted until the raft reached the middle of the lake. There a banner was raised as a signal for silence. The gilded Indian made his offering, throwing all the gold at his feet into the middle of the lake. The other caciques who were with him did the same. When this was done, they lowered the banner, which they had kept raised the whole time the offering lasted. As the raft headed back to shore, the shouting began again, with pipes and fotutos and very long rings of dancers dancing in their own way. With this ceremony they received the newly chosen lord, and he was recognized as lord and prince.

7. Fotutos, trumpets made of conch shells or clay.

De esta ceremonia se tomó aquel nombre tan celebrado del Dorado, que tantas vidas ha costado i haciendas. En el Perú fué donde sonó primero este nombre dorado; i fué el caso que habiendo ganado a Quito, donde Sebastian de Benalcázar, i andando en aquellas guerras o conquistas, topó con un indio de este Reino de los de Bogotá, el cual le dijo, que cuando querian en su tierra hacer su rei, lo llevaban a una laguna mui grande, i allí lo doraban todo, o le cubrian de oro, i con muchas fiestas lo hacian rei. De aquí vino a decir el Don Sebastian “vamos a buscar este indio dorado.” De aquí corrió la voz a Castilla i a las demas partes de Indias, i a Benalcázar le movió venirlo a buscar, como vino, i se halló en esta conquista i fundacion de esta ciudad, como mas largo lo cuenta el padre frai Pedro Simon en la quinta parte de sus noticias historiales, donde se podrá ver.

From this ceremony was taken that so celebrated name of El Dorado, which has cost so many lives and fortunes. In Peru was where this name dorado first sounded; and the case was that, having won Quito, where Sebastián de Benalcázar [was], and going about in those wars or conquests, he came upon an Indian of this Kingdom, of those of Bogotá, who told him that when they wanted in his land to make their king, they took him to a very large lake, and there they gilded him all, or covered him with gold, and with many festivities made him king. From here Don Sebastián came to say, “let us go seek this gilded Indian.” From here the word ran to Castile and to the other parts of the Indies, and it moved Benalcázar to come to seek him, as he came, and he was present at this conquest and founding of this city, as Father Fray Pedro Simón tells at more length in the fifth part of his Historical Notices, where it can be seen.

From this ceremony came that famous name, El Dorado, the Gilded One, which has cost so many lives and fortunes. It was in Peru that the name was first heard. After Quito had been won, Sebastián de Benalcázar,8 who was fighting in those wars and conquests, came upon an Indian from this kingdom, one of the people of Bogotá. The Indian told him how they made a king in his land. They took him to a very large lake and gilded him all over, or covered him with gold. Then they made him king with great festivities. That is why Don Sebastián said, “Let us go and look for this gilded Indian.” From there the word spread to Castile and the rest of the Indies. It moved Benalcázar to come looking for him, and so he did, and he took part in the conquest of this kingdom and the founding of this city. Father Fray Pedro Simón tells this at greater length in the fifth part of his Historical Notices,9 where it can be read.

8. Sebastián de Benalcázar, one of Francisco Pizarro's captains, took Quito in 1534 and later reached the Muisca highlands from the south.
9. Pedro Simón, a Franciscan friar, wrote a history of the conquest of New Granada, Noticias historiales, published in part in 1627.