Chochama

Chochama occupied part of the coast around the Gulf of San Miguel, where Panama faces the Pacific. Its inhabitants spoke Cueva, linking them with the populous chiefdoms of the isthmus and neighbouring stretches of the gulf. Fishing drew people out onto the coastal waters, but the same approaches exposed their settlements to enemies arriving by canoe. The security of Chochama's fisheries depended on relations with the other peoples of this crowded shore.

When Pascual de Andagoya reached Chochama in 1522, its ruler sought help against raiders from Biru. Their attacks had made the inhabitants afraid to venture out to fish. Andagoya took up the request and continued towards Biru, drawn onward by the prospect of exploring beyond the gulf. A local struggle over coastal security thus became entangled with Spanish expansion from Panama, as the newcomers used the rivalries of the Pacific chiefdoms to press farther afield.