EL MORRO DE TULCÁN

El Morro del Tulcán is a hill where the inhabitants of Popayán gather to enjoy beautiful sunsets. But this 80 m high mound is above all a truncated pyramid, where archaeologists have discovered pre-Columbian elements dating back to the period 500 - 1600 B.C. Stony paths, tombs, shells and precious stones coming from other parts of the continent... The archaeologists also concluded that there had been an artificial or natural lake around the pyramid. Several artists and intellectuals had wished that the site receives a statue dedicated to the Cacique Pubén, to pay homage to the pre-Columbian history. The sculptor Rómulo Rozo realized this statue, but as by chance, the work disappeared before being installed... In 1937, an access road was built and caused the destruction of part of the Morro; in 1940, the summit was flattened to receive the equestrian statue of the founder of the city, the conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar... Eighty years later, on September 16, 2020, Popayán will be in the news: the Misak natives came to carry out a historical trial to the conquistador, in front of his statue. Belalcázar was declared the main responsible for the servitude and extermination of the indigenous peoples and African slaves in the region. The statue was then torn down and put down to applause, much to the dismay of local conservative authorities. The statue will not be reinstalled, and that's good!