Santiago de Cali (IPA2: sanˈtjaɰo ð̞e ˈkali), simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2,068,386, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It is a magnet and a catalyst inside Colombia due to its industrial and commercial development, and has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because of its geographical location. Cali was founded on July 25, 1536 by the Spanish conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar.

Etymology

Cali is the shortned form of the official name of the city Santiago de Cali. The first part of the full name honours Saint James the apostle (Santiago in Spanish) whose feast day is celebrated on July 25. The origin of the word "Cali" comes the local native Indian tribe the "Calima" or "Calimas" descendants of the "Chibcha" tribe. Others believe that the word "Cali" has Quechua origin, and it was brought by the Yanaconas Indians that came from Quito serving Sebastián de Belalcázar. This theory is related to the fact that near Quito there is an indigenous town named Calicali.pachangero

Pre-Columbian era and conquest

On his way to Cali, Sebastián de Belalcázar first met the Timbas who ran away before the arrival of the Conqueror's men, leaving behind their towns and gold. After the Timbas, towards the north, the Spaniards entered the territory of the chief Jamundí and his tribe, the Jamundíes, between the rivers Pance and Jamundí. These Indians offered a strong resistance to the invaders, fighting with poisonous darts and arrows against the arquebuses and swords of the Spaniards. After taking Jamundíes' town the Spaniards looted the Indian's gold.

Before taking complete control over the region, the Spaniards had to defeat the chief Petecuy, whose tribe inhabited the area between the river Lilí and the Western Cordillera. Petecuy formed a big army with many tribes and fought the Spaniards on Holy Tuesday of 1536.

The Morrones gave up easily to the Spaniards and were divided in encomiendas. The already "mestizo" nature of the Spaniards made the process of mixing with the Amerindians easy. In fact, Belalcázar himself fathered several children born in the Americas from Indian mothers, as did his men.

Cali was important for Belalcázar because it was beyond the Inca empire. After the capture and execution of the Inca Atahualpa at Cajamarca, Francisco Pizarro had sent Belalcázar to take possession of Guayaquil and Quito on his behalf, but Cali, being beyond the Quechua empire, was claimed by Belalcazar as his own territory. After his death, his descendants maintained possession of much of the land until the war of independence against Spain.