Gregorio Hernández de Alba

Gregorio Hernández de Alba (born June 20, 1904 in Bogotá , † 1973 ibid) was a Colombian archaeologist and ethnologist . He is considered one of the "founding fathers" of archeology and anthropology in Colombia . Hernández de Alba was an active protector of indigenous culture.

Hernández de Alba began studying archeology in the 1930s. In 1935 he was one of the founders of the Organization of Archeology in Colombia. This community organized many expeditions: the first trip took place in 1936 and lasted four months. The aim was to discover and research the people and the culture of the indigenous peoples in the Guajira (tropical zone in northern Colombia). When Hernández de Alba returned from this expedition, he and some other interested parties planned to open an exhibition with the objects that had been researched and found. In 1938 the idea of ​​an exhibition containing archaeological finds and information about the peoples visited was implemented. An enthusiastic visitor to the exhibition was Paul Rivet , director of the Musée de l'Homme in Paris , who suggested that he study archeology in the French capital. Gregorio accepted the offer, but had to leave France with Paul Rivet a year later after the arrival of the National Socialists. In 1941, shortly after his arrival, he founded the Archaeological Museum in Bogotá. To make the museum richer in information, he undertook a second expedition to Tierradentro with the support of the American University Yale .

After an argument with Paul Rivet, Hernández de Alba ended the collaboration and obtained a scholarship in the United States in 1944 to deepen his knowledge of the practical exercise of archeology and of photography and film . In 1945 he founded the "Institut des Caucas" on the outskirts of the country, where the chances of getting a good degree are slim. With this group of students, he joined other archaeological communities. There were further expeditions in Latin America, such as in 1948 three expeditions were made to San Augustin, Tierradentro and Totoro. In 1949 he withdrew from the Institute of the Caucasus and began to write down and publish his experiences. He wrote the book "Namuy Misag-Our People".

In 1951 Hernández de Alba withdrew to Bogotá because the political situation in the country worsened and the security situation worsened. There Hernández de Alba founded the community of archeology, which mainly dealt with the rescue of the Indian tribes. Gregorio Hernández de Alba later fell ill and died in 1973 in his hometown of Bogotá.

Web links

• Gregorio Hernández de Alba (1904-1973): The Legitimization of Indigenous Ethnic Politics in Colombia (English; PDF; 236 kB)