Muisca cuisine facts for kids
The Muisca cuisine tells us about the food and how it was prepared by the Muisca people. They were a clever civilization living in the mountains of Colombia before the Spanish arrived in the 1530s. Their meals used many plants and animals found only in Colombia.
The most important food for the Muisca was maize (corn). They grew it in different climates across their lands. Corn was the main part of their diet. They also used it to make chicha, an alcoholic drink from fermented corn and sugar.
The Muisca believed their farming and harvests were protected by gods like Chaquén and Nencatacoa. They ate many roots and tubers. They even had a special word for eating these in their Chibcha language: bgysqua.
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Muisca Food
The Muisca grew many crops in their own areas. They also traded with nearby groups to get special foods. For example, they traded with the Lache for cotton and tropical fruits. They got fish and spices from the Muzo. From the Achagua, they got things like coca and fish.
The Muisca lands had different climates. This allowed them to grow many kinds of crops. Most of their food was vegetarian. They ate potatoes, maize, beans, mandioca (cassava), tomatoes, calabazas (squash), peppers, and many fruits. They also ate grains like quinoa.
Corn was the most important food and was considered sacred. The Muisca roasted corn, ate it fresh, or even made popcorn.
Their main meat was the guinea pig. They raised these small animals in their homes. Sometimes, they also ate llamas, alpacas, deer, capybaras, and fish. They got fish from local rivers and lakes, and also through trade. The Muisca drank a lot of chicha. This fermented drink was served in special clay pots.
Scientists have studied Muisca skeletons and mummies. They found that about 60% of the Muisca diet came from plants. The other 40% came from meat, especially fish.
After the Spanish arrived, it became harder for the Muisca to get meat. This changed their diet. However, studies show that people in places like Tunja (which was called Hunza back then) did not suffer from poor nutrition.
Words for Corn
Corn was super important to the Muisca. So, their language, Muysccubun, had many words for corn. They had words for parts of the plant, how it was processed, and how it was eaten.
| Muysccubun | English |
|---|---|
| aba | corn |
| abqui | corncob |
| agua | corn kernels |
| fica | corn leaf |
| abtiba | yellow corn |
| chiscami | black corn |
| fuquiepquijiza | white corn |
| lie bun | corn roll |
Plants and Crops
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The Muisca grew their crops on special raised fields called camellones. These fields helped water the plants well. They also had drainage systems to control water levels.
Here are some of the main plants they grew:
- Achira: One of the first plants grown in the Andes mountains.
- Arracacha: A root vegetable used in soups, grilled, boiled, or baked.
- Tropaeolum tuberosum: A root that grows well in high mountains.
- Oxalis tuberosa: A root that came from Peru.
- Ulluco: A root still used in traditional dishes today.
- Yacón: A root eaten raw, often with salt.
- Potatoes: Different types of potatoes were part of their diet. Corn was more important.
- Yuca (cassava): A very important root vegetable in South America. It's still a key food in Colombian cooking.
- Sweet potatoes: Found in Muisca sites from over 3200 years ago.
Grains and Cereals
- Corn: The earliest use of corn in their area dates back thousands of years.
- Quinoa: A grain that came from Peru.
- Common bean: First grown in places like Mexico and Colombia.
- Peanuts: Grown in the Andes mountains.
- Chachafruto: A type of bean that grows on trees.
Fruits
The Muisca ate many fruits, including:
- Inga feuilleei: They ate the fruit, not the seeds.
- Pumpkins: Evidence of pumpkins goes back almost 6000 years.
- Peppers: Different kinds of peppers were common. They often got them through trade.
- Pineapple: Widely grown.
- Uchuva: A typical Colombian fruit.
- Lulo: This is the national fruit of Colombia.
- Passionfruits: Many different types of passionfruits.
- Avocado
- Guava
- Tree tomato
- Cherimoya, Soursop, and other similar fruits.
- Papaya
- Vaccinium meridionale (a type of blueberry)
- Different types of berries.
Leaves
- Guasca
- Coca
Meat and Animals
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The Muisca ate different kinds of animals, including:
Mammals
- Guinea pig (guy): These were widely raised in Muisca homes.
- Different types of deer.
- Mountain paca (a rodent).
- Armadillos.
- Capybaras: Traded from other groups.
Birds
Colombia has many different kinds of birds. Some that were part of the Muisca diet include:
- Colombian grebe
- Masked duck
- Ruddy duck
- Black-bellied whistling duck
- Cinnamon teal
- American purple gallinule
- Yellow-eared parrot
Fish
- Eremophilus mutisii (a type of catfish).
Insects
The Muisca also ate some insects:
- Termites
- Hormiga culona (a type of ant)
- Chisas (beetle larvae)
- Worms
- Cockroaches
How Food Was Prepared
The Muisca used the coal found in their lands to heat their ovens. This is how they cooked their food.
Eating Habits
When eating, the Muisca would sit on the ground. They did not use forks or spoons. Instead, they ate with their hands. Their food was served on leaves or in ceramic pots.
