Guecha warrior

The guecha warriors (Spanish: "güechas" or "gueches"), were warriors of the Muisca Confederation who defended the territory of the Muisca. Neighbouring tribes such as the Panche and Pijao: those who qualified the Indies Writers angry warriors and warlike cannibals. From descriptions, the "güechas" seem to have been a separate race, in the sense that it was a group of people who formed a special class and used to breed with each other for their physical characteristics and personality, also for the work they performed as guardians of the Muisca territory, and stimuli/rewards they received.

As to the meaning of guecha, friar Pedro Simón, Spanish Franciscan chronicler, tells us that in the Chibcha language of the Muisca güecha means "brave", the translation of the first element of the word presents some difficulties because the umlaut was a sign not written consistently; güe-(umlaut) is 'people' and then güecha is 'man of the people', meaning that would fit perfectly with the status or rank of the warrior. An alternative etymology stems from the Chibcha words cha, "male" and gue, "I killed"; literally "a man who causes death".

Gue in Chibcha had many different meanings, a common meaning is "house" or "place". chá is "man" or "male", so guecha would mean "man of the house". Guecha also stands for "the brother of my mother", so "uncle".

The guecha warriors were an elite troop of the hamza soldiers. They were selected among the strongest and bravest men of the domains of the zipa, the ruler of the southern Muisca Confederation. The selection considerations did not enter nobility of lineage, so any Chibcha would be enrolled and excel to become a guecha, If one stood out for its value they could become appointed cacicas and therefore enter the local nobility. Thus guecha stands for valor, courage and overcoming a rigidly organized society. style absolutist monarchical systems of the east.

The guecha warriors were a privileged caste. They were chosen based on qualities like toughness, courage and bravery. Their worked earned them prizes, as well as vacancies in cacicazgos (chiefdoms). Those who fell in battle received posthumous honors, meaning their bodies were adorned with certain balsams and taken on the shoulders of other fighters. Their presence was then used to infuse life into other soldiers. As undefeated Cid Ruy Diaz de Vivar, the Muisca guechas were rescued from death to go out and win battles against their enemies. The guecha status was not hereditary; dignity was not being reached by birth. It was only available to men of courage and great arm strength. It can be said, in other words, that the warriors were the only "democratic" group among the Muisca.

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