BIOGRAPHY OF THE ARICHUNA CACIQUE

Summary Biography of Chief Arichuna. This warrior belonged to the Los Jiraharas tribe,
locating his radius of action in the region of what is now known as Lara and part of
Yaracuy.
It is formed under the orders of Chief Queipa and when he dies, he is selected to
command the tribe with the rank of chief, fighting against the colonizing Spanish and
other enemy tribes led by Chief Guaratarí.
Chief Arichuna accepts peace and dedicates himself to the spice trade with the Spanish.
His friend Juan Fernández, a man of good feelings, is accused by the inquisition court
and sentenced to death. Arichuna is not satisfied with the sentence and seeks to
intercede for him.
Governor Juan de Leiva did not want to get involved in the matter, so the Indian Arichuna
decided at the end of the year 1556 to attack the prison in Valencia, achieved the
freedom of Juan Fernández and took him to his tribe.
Some time later, Juan Fernández obtained forgiveness, but he never wanted to leave the
tribe in gratitude to Chief Arichuna.

PRE-COLOMBIAN CUSTOMS
Aztec Civilization
The Aztecs venerated several gods, among which Huitzilopochtli or god of war,
Quetzalcóatl or god of wind, Tlaloc or god of rain and Coatlicue or goddess of the earth
stand out. They made human sacrifices as an offering to their gods and practiced cults
designed to produce rain.
Mayan civilization
The Mayan Empire was essentially a group of city-states. Each state was governed by a
hereditary, military and political chief, who was advised by a council of elders. Society
was divided into an elite or nobility, who did not have to do any physical work and lived
off the taxes they collected from the people. The second level were the merchants, who
had a very good standard of living. The lower class was made up of artisans and
peasants, forced to pay tribute to the nobility so that they would not become slaves. At
the last level were the slaves, who acquired this condition for being children of slave
parents, committing a crime, not paying their debts, being a prisoner of war or an orphan.
Slaves had no rights, were forced to work and were frequently sacrificed in ritual
ceremonies.
Toltec Civilization
Of a warlike nature, the Toltecs developed important military systems and professional
soldiers. One of their distinctive inventions is the tzompantli, a wall on which they placed
the heads of sacrificed people, especially those they had captured as prisoners of war.
Zapotec Civilization
One of the most deeply rooted superstitions in Zapotec culture was “nahualism.” On the
day a baby was born, ashes were placed in the mother's hut and the footprints that
appeared marked represented the child's "totem" animal, which gave it its personality.
The “tone” belief was that dark wizards became their totem animal to carry out evil acts at
night.
The Zapotecs and Mayans were the only cultures of their time that developed complete
writing systems. Zapotec writing consisted of hieroglyphics and other types of symbols
that they engraved or painted on stones and buildings. These symbols represent ideas
and sounds.

HEROINES OF INDEPENDENCE
Josefa Joaquina Sanchez
Extraordinary woman born in La Guaira in 1765, wife of José María España, known as
"The embroiderer of the first flag of Venezuela" was imprisoned for eight years. The
royalists suspected that Jose Maria España was hiding in her house and these
suspicions became evident when They noticed that Josefa Joaquina was pregnant, in an
interrogation they assured her that her husband was in the country, if not, how would she
be in that state of pregnancy? to confess and risking his honor he exclaimed, is it that in
La Guaira only Jose Maria España is pregnant?..... She was finally confined to Cumana
where she died in 1813.
Manuela Saenz
Born in the city of Quito, Ecuador on September 25, 1797, she was admitted to the
convent of Santa Catalina where she learned to read, write and pray. He shared
revolutionary talks on his ideas of emancipation, he met Simón Bolívar at his triumphal
entry on June 16, 1822, from that moment an emotional bond was created between the
two, the love professed to Bolivar made him give himself with more impetus to the
independence struggles. He turned to weapons, verbal disputes, political intrigue, and
revolutionary mutinies, some time later sharing residence with El Libertador. In 1828 he
caused Bolivar to flee through a window of the government palace when he discovered
an attempt on his life by Pedro Carujo. "The Liberator of the Liberator" as Bolívar called
her, died on November 23, 1856.
Ana Maria Campos
Courageous Zuliana born in the ports of Altagracia, from a very young age almost a child
she collaborated in the organization of the patriots, she fought against the last Spanish
governor Francisco Tomas Morales of whom she predicted "If Morales does not
capitulate, cool!" For these words she was arrested on a donkey and publicly flogged.
Simon Rodriguez
Simón Rodríguez was born in Caracas on October 28, 1769. Venezuelan pedagogue
and writer, born in Caracas in 1771 and died in Amotape, Peru, in 1854. Teacher of
Simón Bolívar, his concerns and reforming ideas had a powerful influence on the
formation of El Libertador, as he himself recognized.
Simón Rodríguez was really called Simón Carreño Rodríguez, but he dispensed with the
first surname as a result of a disagreement with his brother Cayetano, a musician by
profession. Due to his conspiratorial activities, he had to emigrate in 1794 and changed
his name (Samuel Róbinson). The theatricality of his existence contrasts with his strict
sense of honesty and the renewing transcendence of his pedagogical and social ideas.
Simon Bolivar
An outstanding military man and statesman, Simón Bolívar is undoubtedly one of the
greatest figures in American history. His strategic skills contributed decisively to
achieving the freedom of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Bolivia and Peru from
Spanish rule. Born on July 24, 1783 in Caracas, he lost his parents at an early age. At
the age of 16, his tutor, Simón Rodríguez, sent him to Europe, where he completed his
education.
Upon his return he joined the patriot movement that took Caracas in 1810, and assumed
an active role in political life as a member of the Patriotic Society that promoted the
independence of Venezuela. This would be consolidated in 1813. Bolívar received the
title of Liberator, then dedicating himself to the supreme task of American emancipation.
After a period in exile, in 1817 he returned to the continent and joined the fight for the
independence of New Granada, which he secured after the battle of Boyacá, on August
6, 1819. After this victory he proclaimed the Republic of Colombia. In September 1823 he
arrived in Callao, and days later, by decision of Congress, he assumed leadership of the
final stage of Peru's libertarian struggle, which concluded with the triumphs of Junín and
Ayacucho in 1824. Months later, he issued a decree in favor of the creation of a new
State that, in his homage, is called Bolivia, separating Upper Peru from the old
viceroyalty. The Liberator died on December 17, 1830 in Santa Martha, Colombia.
Andres Bello
He was born in Caracas on November 29, 1781 and died in Santiago de Chile on
October 15, 1865. He stood out during his life as a humanist, poet, legislator,
philosopher, educator, critic and philologist. Andrés Bello lived until he was 29 in
Caracas, where he studied at the Ramón Vanlosten Academy, read the classics of the
Spanish Golden Age and learned Latin with Father Cristóbal de Quesada. In 1797 he
entered the Royal and Pontifical University of Caracas, from where he graduated in 1800
with a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1801 he began his law studies and began teaching
private classes; Among his students was Simón Bolívar.
One of the most notable aspects of Andrés Bello's life is his written work, which almost in
its entirety has reached or even us. From his Caracas period we have the following: the
poems A lavaccina and Al Anauco; The romance of a samán; the sonnets to the victory
of Bailén, To an artist, My wishes, Venezuela consoled and Spain restored and Summary
of the history of Venezuela, among others.