Capayán facts for kids

The Capayanes were an ancient group of people who lived in what is now Argentina. They were an indigenous (native) group, but sadly, they are now extinct, meaning there are no Capayanes people alive today.

Where the Capayanes Lived

The Capayanes lived in parts of modern-day Argentina. Their home was in the mountains and valleys of the La Rioja, Catamarca, and San Juan provinces.

They lived near the Colorado River and the Jáchal river. Their territory stretched from the Andes mountains in the west to the Velasco mountain ranges. They also lived in rich, fertile valleys like Famatina, Sanagasta, Yacampis, Guandacol, and Jáchal.

The Diaguita people were their neighbors to the north. To the south, they lived near the Huarpe people. Sometimes, the Capayanes mixed with the Diaguitas in certain areas.

Their Language

The Capayanes shared a language called Kakán with the Diaguita people. Some experts think it might have been a different version of Kakán.

We can still find clues about their language in some place names today. Words ending in "bis" (meaning pebble or small stone) often show where they lived. For example, places like Yacampis and Quilmebis have these endings.

How the Capayanes Lived

The Capayanes were very skilled. They knew how to spin wool from animals like the guanaco and llama. They also worked with metals, especially copper and gold.

They were clever farmers. They built canals and ditches to bring water to their crops. They grew important foods like maize (corn), pumpkin, potato, and quinoa.

The Capayanes also made a lot of pottery. They often used ceramics to create special pots called funeral urns. These urns were decorated with cool geometric patterns in black, red, and white. This style of pottery is known as the Sanagasta style or Angualasto style.

Their homes were made from mud and adobe (a type of sun-dried brick). Sometimes, they even built their houses at the base of a large tree, using the tree itself as part of the roof. You can still see this type of building in some parts of La Rioja today, like in Vinchina.

The End of the Capayanes

Around 1480, the powerful Inca Empire from Peru expanded into the Capayanes' land. The Incas took over their territories and made them part of their empire, called Tawantinsuyu.

Later, starting in 1607, the Spanish arrived and began to conquer the region. This led to the Capayanes being scattered and, sadly, they eventually died out by the late 1700s.

The Capayanes did try to fight back. In 1632, they joined with the Olongastas and other Diaguita groups in a big uprising against the Spanish.

Today, a part of the Catamarca province is named after them. It is called the Capayán Department.

Their Name and Connections

The name "Capayanes" might come from a Quechua word, Kapak ñan. This means "Great Road." It refers to the famous Inca Highway. The Capayanes lived in a very important area for travel and communication in the southern part of the Inca Empire.

Most experts believe the Capayanes were part of the larger Diaguita group, sometimes called pazioca. This is because they shared many cultural things, like speaking the Kakán language. Other groups like the calchaquíes, olongastas, and quilmes were also part of the Diaguita family.

However, the Capayanes were also unique. They had some genetic and cultural influences from their neighbors, the Huarpe people. After 1480, they also mixed with people called Mitmakuna, who were moved to the region by the Incas.

See also

In Spanish: Capayanes para niños