Blackwell Reference Online

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The name Urracá comes from the extended Taíno term for “Hurricane” that was introduced by the Spaniards. The name of Urracá – in the language of his group, the Bugle – was “Molenan” (Puma). He led efforts to resist Spanish forays into his territory in search of gold. In his quest for gold, the Spaniard Gaspar de Espinosa founded the base of Natá in Urracá's territory, but Urracá sustained the fight against the invaders for almost ten years. He used guerrilla tactics, developing an apparently weak offensive and ceding the battleground to his enemy before really starting to fight. The Spaniards, encouraged by what they thought to be the fear and weakness of the enemy, forged ahead, but in the ravines and gorges they were besieged by legions of indigenous fighters. In 1527 a powerful confederation of people against the Spaniards was organized, led by Urracá and other chieftains, Pocoa and Trota, who defied the invaders. Francis Compañón (one of Natá's men) was appointed by the governor Pedrarias Davila to open friendly talks with Urracá in 1531. Urracá attended a meeting, confident of good intentions, but was arrested, chained, and sent to Panama, to the city of Nombre de Dios from where he was supposed to be brought to Spain. Two days before the ship set sail, Urracá escaped. Both the official and the traditional history agree that Urracá died in 1531 or disappeared in the midst of ... log in or subscribe to read full text