Genealogy of the category colono: its images and representations in frontier regionas and its rendition as campesino colono and campesino cocalero

Abstract

This is a review of the literature in which I explore the use of the category colono (settler), in addition to the images associated with it, by the Colombian government and by some researchers, contrasting its use with reference to the internal frontier with that of national territories. I argue that the historical weight of settling the eastern part of the country as an alternative to agrarian reform has led to a situation wherein those described as colonos are stripped of their identity as campesinos. This process is compounded when referring to those who grow coca and when the phrase colono cocalero is used in place of colono, criminalizing and stigmatizing such subjects and also denying their identity as campesinos, which impedes their constitution as such.