The Tierradentro region is currently inhabited by Páez societies whose precise geographical origin is not known.

The oldest information dates back to the time of the Conquest. It is known that by the 16th century the Páez were growing coca, cassava and maize, that they lived in scattered groups, and above all, that they vigorously resisted the Spaniards when these entered their territory. According to the chronicler Pedro Cieza de León, there must have been around six or seven thousand warriors, which means we can assume that there were between twenty and twenty eight thousand people in all.

However, we cannot establish a direct relationship with pre-Hispanic societies of earlier centuries. What is more, the people who live in the Tierradentro archaeological region today claim they are in no way related to whoever made the hypogea and statues.

The Páez live in the temperate and cold parts of this region, mainly in the towns of Páez (Belalcázar) and Inzá. Their territory has nevertheless today spread over the Western Range, and they are settled on its western slopes.

The Páez build scattered homes, mainly along trails, in small villages, or on plots where they grow crops on the slopes of the cordillera. These homes consist of a simple, rectangular hut with gabled roof, walls of interwoven reeds, trodden earth floor, a single door, and a kitchen whose stove rests on three sticks buried in the ground. They are generally inhabited by a family group, or occasionally by one of the children's newly-formed families. The principal urban centre is the town of Inzá, while the villages of San Andrés de Pisimbalá, with its beautiful doctrinal chapel dating back to the colonial era, San Francisco, Belalcázar, Toez and Mosoco are much smaller.

The current population numbers around 100,000. They speak Spanish and Nasa Yuwe, 'the language of the Páez people', and their basic political unit is the reserve, which is governed in turn by the council, the community's main political institution, and this is headed by the Governor. There are currently twenty one reserves, which contain almost 80% of the total population of the archaeological area. There are a number of other political levels, such as the "group of elders" who, because of their age and wisdom, exercise control over the reserve when the Governor or Council fails to act correctly.

Particularly worthy of note is the cultural resistance that the Páez have managed to put up ever since they first came into contact with Europeans: their costume is perhaps the clearest manifestation of this resistance. Women make their own skirts, which are called "anacus" and are tied around the waist by means of a "chumbe", or sash of woven wool, and this in turn is set off by a cotton or pure wool blouse, woollen shawl, and straw hat. The men wear broad white trousers, cotton shirt, a woollen poncho, and a straw hat like those worn by their womenfolk. Both go barefoot, although nowadays some can be seen wearing rubber boots or shoes.

For the Páez, life cycles and everyday activities are based around working the land. Agriculture is their principal economic activity, and is done collectively in exchange for food, or individually. The agricultural system they use is "cut and burn", or clearance. The main products they grow are maize (Zea mays), coffee, sugar cane, sisal, bay leaves (Myrica policarpa), cassava, parsnips, beans, potatoes and coca (Erythroxilon coca), all for local consumption.

Tierradentro and the Gold Museum Exhibition

Tierradentro: between mountains

The Páez: present-day societies living at Tierradentro

Archaeological Parks: Tierradentro