Mokaná

Mokaná

Mokaná refers to an indigenous people and their language traditionally located in northern Colombia, specifically in the Atlántico department, around the city of Barranquilla and along the lower Magdalena River.

The Mokaná people faced significant displacement and cultural disruption during the Spanish colonial period and subsequent years. Their traditional territories were encroached upon, and their cultural practices were suppressed.

The Mokaná language is considered either extinct or critically endangered. Little documentation of the language remains, and efforts to revitalize it are ongoing. The survival of Mokaná culture relies heavily on oral traditions and the preservation of ancestral knowledge within the community.

Today, individuals identifying as Mokaná descendants are working to reclaim and reaffirm their cultural identity, focusing on ancestral practices, traditional crafts, and historical narratives. The process of cultural revival is often intertwined with advocating for land rights and recognition as an indigenous community within Colombia. The struggle for recognition and the preservation of cultural heritage remains a central focus for the contemporary Mokaná people.