27.03.2025 Ernst Halbmayer participates in the Online Lecture 'Rethinking the Isthmo-Colombian Area and the Chibchan Peoples' on April 4

On April 4, an online lecture will explore the Isthmo-Colombian area and Chibchan peoples, featuring leading scholars in the field. The concept of "diffuse unity," coined two decades ago by archaeologists John Hoopes and Oscar Fonseca, has been used to define the unity of this region and highlight its historical and cultural particularities in relation to Mesoamerica, the Andes, and the Amazon. Recent ethnological and ethnographic research has sought to refine this notion by focusing on the Chibcha-speaking peoples, the most numerous, representative, and widespread in the region. Although still in its early stages, this research has yielded promising results in the study of ontological orders, forms of relatedness, ecological practices, and structures of power and authority, providing a solid foundation for initiating a productive dialogue with the vibrant Amazonian ethnology.

The event is organized in collaboration with EDGES - Entangling Indigenous Knowledges and the Department of Anthropology at Universidad de los Andes, with support from the European Commission.

Speakers:

Juan Camilo Niño Vargas (Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá) will discuss recent ethnological approaches to the region. Ernst Halbmayer (Philipps-Universität Marburg) will present his research on Chibchan societies and their ontological frameworks. Stephen Beckerman (Pennsylvania State University) will contribute insights into kinship structures and ecological adaptations, while Carl Langebaek (Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá) will provide an archaeological perspective on cultural continuities in the area.

The lecture will be held online, and you can find the link to join here.