Cacique

Cangapol, tehuelches cacique, centuryXVIII.

Cacique is the term used to designate the local chiefs of the Taino communities of the Antilles. From the expansion of the Spanish viceroyalties in America, the term was used by the conquistadors to designate the indigenous political authorities, regardless of the diversity of the political systems of America or the native nomenclatures. The words caciquismo, cacicato, cacicazgo and caciquear are derived from this term.

During the Bourbon Restoration in Spain (1875-1931) the term "cacique" was used to refer to the local notables who, thanks to their patronage networks, controlled the elections of a district, especially the rural ones who were the majority.

Use in Spanish Colonial America

In Spanish colonial America the word cacique was actively used by the monarchy. A royal instruction of February 26, 1538 insisted that any indigenous authority be only called "cacique", equaling by this formula from the humblest chiefs of few bands, to the kings and nobles of the extinct pre-Hispanic empires. Special care was taken in this document to prohibit the treatment of "sir", which in Spanish could imply effective authority and reverential treatment, insisting in this regard that "it was convenient for our service and Royal pre-eminence and we ordered the viceroys and Audiencias not to consent or allow it and can only be called caciques and principales».

Despite the fact that a large number of caciques were executed in the heat of the Conquest, ^{[citation needed]} the institution of cacicazgo, in its various ethnic manifestations, survived for the colonial centuries. And, in fact, it still exists today, although it is more used, however, the leading expression. The figure of the cacique was not always understandable to Europeans. His authority was very relative in the cultural tradition of some ethnic groups. His decisions were not entirely binding and his authority was finally subject to the will of the indigenous assemblies.

“... many nations and nations of Indians do not suffer absolute kings or lords, but live in behetrious (...) communities, where they are governed by the counsel of many”.

Joseph de Acosta

There was a method of self-government, in which the cacique played a conjunctural role as spokesman, moderator, or making decisions only in urgent situations.

This was especially disconcerting to the Spanish. Spain had just emerged from its own Communards' War, which had ended with strong official attacks against all forms of assembly. The conquerors assimilated the situation of these tribes to a permanent chaos and negligence of the chief, for which they understood that the caciques, as individuals, were expendable.

But despite everything, within the system of colonial hierarchies, the figure of the cacique itself was considered necessary. So much so, in fact, that there are various testimonies that ensure that during the Colony the election of the caciques of the Indian towns was carried out by landowners and missionaries on numerous occasions.

As for the elections of the caciques and governors of the peoples of this New Spain there has been and there is great confusion, because some happen in these positions for the inheritance of their fathers and grandparents, and others for elections, and others because Moctezuma put them for calpisques in the peoples, and others have had to commend them and remove them from those who came, and others named the religious (...) There is another election of governor in some villages, which is a charge of itself, different from the cacique, which is in charge of the people's government, and this elects the Indians...

Virrey Antonio de Mendoza

This ambiguous situation added to a certain setback in the internal social relations of the indigenous groups, a product of miscegenation, the demographic catastrophe and the uprooting of people who were sent to the new exploitation centers (mines and plantations). As a consequence of this picture, in not a few cases the cacique was losing ascendancy over his community, which gradually understood that the effective authority was held in other instances.

Cacique (theMapuche around 1890.

Then it became a concept applied by the Spaniards to certain personalities of the native cultures of America, frequently being used in an equivocal way for men who held greater economic power (animals, cultivated areas, etc.) and more wives. The misunderstanding persisted among non-specialists, since the absolute rulers of empires (Nahuas, Quechuas, Tainos, etc.) are usually designated as caciques, in the same way as the chiefs or leaders of small populations considered 'stateless', such as the Nambikuara. It is thus that, vulgarly, the curacas of Ancient Peru, the toki, longko and ülmen of the Mapuche, the ruvichá of the Guarani, etc.

Other uses

In Chile, Venezuela and Colombia, the proverb "much cacique y poco indio" is used colloquially to indicate situations in which several of those involved give orders simultaneously while few are willing to abide by them.

In some countries (for example Argentina) the word "cacique" is often used figuratively and pejoratively to refer to those who hold power in "clientelist networks" even though they have nothing to do with the native peoples of America.

Spain

The term cacique passed to the peninsula with a pejorative character and the Dictionary of authorities (1729) already includes it. It defined "cacique" as "Lord of vassals, or the Superior in the Province or Pueblos de Indios", but adding that "by similarity, it is understood the first of a Pueblo or Republic, which has more command and power, and wants for its He prides himself on being feared and obeyed by all inferiors”. This is how it began to be applied to the people who had the greatest influence and power within a community and the term "cacicada" also spread, as a synonym for injustice and outrage.

In 1902, the regenerationist Joaquín Costa used the term caciquismo to characterize the political regime of the Restoration, which is currently understood as the network of social relations that define political life through patronage networks.