What kinds of work did Indigenous people perform in Spanish encomiendas?

In the Spanish encomienda system, Indigenous people were subjected to various forms of labor to benefit the encomendero (the grant holder). While the system was legally framed as a way to provide tribute and religious instruction, in practice, it functioned as a form of forced labour.1

Indigenous people were utilized for a wide range of tasks, including:

• Mining: They were frequently forced to work in the gold-mining industry, which was a primary economic driver during the early colonial period.2
• Agriculture: Laborers were used to produce crops and tend to livestock on properties acquired by the encomenderos.2
• Construction and Service: Indigenous people were required to build houses in Spanish cities and serve as domestic servants.2
• Permanent Employment: Some individuals, known as naborías, were commandeered for permanent service, often acting as a skilled cadre to supervise operations.2

The labor demands were often brutal, and the system contributed significantly to the decline of Indigenous populations through displacement and exposure to new diseases. Although the crown attempted to regulate these abuses, the encomienda remained a coercive institution until it was gradually replaced by the hacienda system.21