Totonicapán Department

Totonicapán is a department of Guatemala and is located in the southwest of the country ( region VI). It covers over 1,000 square kilometers and has about 400,000 inhabitants. The capital of the department is the same Totonicapán.

The department Totonicapán bordered to the north by the department of Huehuetenango, Quiché in the east, to the south and to the west by Solola Quetzaltenango.

Provincial nature

Totonicapán located predominantly in the central highlands between about 2,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level. The south pervades the Guatemalan Sierra Madre, which falls away to the north of the valley of the Río Negro, behind which lies in the neighboring departments of Huehuetenango and Quiché the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes rises. Totonicapán is the coldest department of Guatemala. The original extensive forests have been decimated. There are several hot springs.

Population

In Totonicapán mainly live Quiché Maya. In addition to their own language, they also speak Spanish. The indigenous and the rest of the population live in eight municipios ( large municipalities or counties ):

The Department as state administrative district is headed by a delegated by the central government governor. The Municipalities are autonomous local authorities with elected mayors and elected assemblies and are divided into Aldeas ( rural communities ) and Caseríos, Parajes or fincas ( hamlets and farms ).

Economy

The population lives mainly from agriculture. Will raise corn, oats, wheat, beans, apples, plums and passion fruit. An important role is played by the handicrafts and the manufacture of textiles ( rugs from Momostenango ).

The small department Totonicapán region has a not everywhere well developed. In the southwest it is traversed by the Inter- Americana (CA- 1) on the border with the department of Solola reached its highest point ( 3,670 m). In San Cristóbal Totonicapán is an important road junction ( Cuatro Caminos ), from where you can reach the cities of Quetzaltenango and Totonicapán. The sparsely populated north of the department still lacks a modern transport infrastructure.

Attractions

Totonicapán is not considered one of the more important tourist destinations in Guatemala. For this reason, can be modeled on genuine way, here the original lifestyle of the highland K'iche '. The valley between Cuatro Caminos and the city Totonicapán is known for its rural landscape and its thermal springs. The capital city was founded in 1544 by the Spanish in the department has a neoclassical theater and the adjacent church of San Miguel Arcángel. From the market town of San Francisco El Alto ( 2,630 m) offers a wide panorama of the surrounding mountains of the Sierra Madre. The further north Momostenango is a religious center of Maya. On the sacrificial sites Chit mesabal and Nim mesabal Mayan priests and shamans, combined with the rural population through their ancient rituals.

History

Totonicapán was before the arrival of the Spaniards, a center of the Quiché civilization. During colonial times, the Maya population sought again and again against the Spaniards. 1816 refused you to pay taxes to the Spanish crown. 1820 there was a rebellion led by Anastasio Tzul which was then elected king of the Quiché, however, a few weeks Spanish troops had to give way later. Tzul, who was then mayor of Totonicapán, became a folk hero after the later courses, were named roads, bridges and schools. After independence from Spain, the area was collected in October 1825 the department. However, it joined 1838-1849 repeated the Estado de los Altos, was also referred to as the sixth state in the Central American confederation.

The name of the department and its capital is probably derived from the Mayan word Totonilco, which means " hot water ". According to another theory, it means " bird mountain" ( totl - "Bird," nica - "mountain", pan - Ortsnamenssuffix ).