Salvaleón de Higüey
Encyclopedia
Higüey or in full Salvaleón de Higüey, is the capital city of the eastern province of La Altagracia, in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

. The river Yuma
Yuma River (Dominican Republic)
-References:* The Columbia Gazetteer of North America. 2000.**...

 flows through the urban area of Higüey.

Higüey is also the denomination of a former native chiefdom in the east of the Island at the arrival of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...

. This region conserves the name that is given also to its city main province
Provinces of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is divided into thirty–one provincias , while the national capital, Santo Domingo, is contained within its own Distrito Nacional ....

 La Altagracia. It is one of the economically fastest-developing cities in the country, and dubbed the Capital of Dominican Tourism and sometimes the Capital of Stockbreeding. Higüey's population topped 150,000 inhabitants as of 2006. The city thrives chiefly on tourism, with many of its inhabitants employed in the hotel complexes of Punta Cana a few kilometers away, or in the commerce of tourist products.

The most important monuments in the city are the Basilica of La Altagracia and the Church of San Dionisio (Saint Denis
Denis
Saint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...

), from the 16th century.

Sectors

The city is divided into 15 sectors that are,
  • Berón
  • Cambelén
  • La Malena
  • Alta Torre
  • Baja Torre
  • Los Guaricanos
  • Los Sotos
  • Mamá Tingó
  • Naciado Mejía
  • Pepe Rosario
  • Sajul
  • San José
  • Savica
  • Villa Cerro
  • Juan Pablo Duarte


Bavaro, Punta Cana, and Bayahibe are famous touristic places. They are part of the province, however, they are not part of the city.

Origin of name

According to some authors, GUEY or HUIOU is the sun in the Arawakan language of the Taíno
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...

s, the island's native peoples. Among several Mesoamerican tribes the term also means sun, light, day. It could be a coincidence, but it is noted that Higüey is found in the oriental extreme of the island, that is to say, in the region that first receives the rays of the sun. Thus the name Higüey might signify land where the sun is born.

Economy

The economy of Higüey is based on tropical agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 (reed
Phragmites
Phragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...

, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...

, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...

, cacao, rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...

, and maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...

), cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...

 (cows and pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...

s), fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

 and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...

 on the coast.

Tourism

The main historical element in Higüey is the Cathedral, which holds the famous painting of the "Virgen de la Altagracia", brought by the Spaniards in the 15th century. The painting was moved from its original location in the 500 year old church of San Dionisio. Every year on Virgin of La Altagracia Day (January 21),a national holiday, tens of thousands of pilgrims visit the Cathedral.

History

At the time of European invasion the area belonged to the Caíçimu-Higüey kingdom of Taíno
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...

 Indians under the leadership of the Caciques Cotubanamá and Cayacoa, the female Chieftain Higuanamá and other leaders male and female. The area, the last on the Island to be conquered by the Spanish was subdued by a Spanish force led by Juan de Esquivel
Juan de Esquivel
Juan de Esquivel was born in Seville, Spain and died in Jamaica in 1513. He conquered the island of Jamaica for the Spanish Crown.He accompanied Christopher Columbus in his second trip to the American continent in 1493 and participated in the conquest and colonization of the isle of La Española,...

 in 1503. The invasion by Esquivél was motivated by an attack by the Indians led by Cotubanamá on 8 Spanish sailors, which was in turn revenge for the killing of the Cacique of Saona, who was killed by a Mastiff that a group of Spaniards set on him for sport as he was loading traded cassava bread on a barge.

Bartolomé de Las Casas
Bartolomé de Las Casas
Bartolomé de las Casas O.P. was a 16th-century Spanish historian, social reformer and Dominican friar. He became the first resident Bishop of Chiapas, and the first officially appointed "Protector of the Indians"...

 participated in and later described the massacre of the Indians of Higüey who surrendered after a short but heroic resistance. Men, women and children were disemboweled as animals, had hands and feet cut off accompanied by taunting, or they were hanged or rounded up and knifed to death. In 1519 the Indian population of the Higuey region was enslaved and numbered only 1,189 individuals.

Later, by Royal Privilege attended to from Sevilla December 7, 1508 was granted him to this village the Coat of Arms. During the Spanish colonial period, Higüey remained a Parish of the party of El Seibo
El Seibo
El Seibo , alternatively spelt El Seybo, is a province of the Dominican Republic. Before 1992 it included what is now Hato Mayor province.-Municipalities and municipal districts:...

. Then in 1801, due to the territorial partition carried out by Toussaint-Louverture during his control of the Spanish part of the island, it became a district of the department of the Ozama.

After the period of the Reconquest, in 1809, when Spain regained control of the oriental part of the island, Higüey was again Parish of the party of El Seibo
El Seibo
El Seibo , alternatively spelt El Seybo, is a province of the Dominican Republic. Before 1992 it included what is now Hato Mayor province.-Municipalities and municipal districts:...

 until 1821. Then in 1822, year in which the Haitian occupation under the command of Boyer occurred, the region again became part of the Department of Ozama]]. And upon being proclaimed the Republic in the 1844, the Governmental Central Meeting appointed it common of the Province of El Seibo
El Seibo
El Seibo , alternatively spelt El Seybo, is a province of the Dominican Republic. Before 1992 it included what is now Hato Mayor province.-Municipalities and municipal districts:...

.

A year later, through the Law of Provincial Administration Not. 40, of June 9, 1845, remained become common of the province of El Seibo
El Seibo
El Seibo , alternatively spelt El Seybo, is a province of the Dominican Republic. Before 1992 it included what is now Hato Mayor province.-Municipalities and municipal districts:...

, condition this that conserved until 1861 in which by resolution of the General headquarters of the Spanish Government Anexionista him was erected in Possession of the Political Government and Soldier of El Seibo. But, upon being restored the Republic acquired again its condition of common of the province of the Seibo by the Decree Not. 860 of August 12, 1865.

Basilica of La Altagracia

In this province the Sanctuary of the Miraculous Virgin of La Altagracia
Basílica Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia
The Basílica Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and cathedral dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary located in Salvaleón de Higüey, Dominican Republic. The basilica is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia en Higüey...

 is found, Patroness of the Dominican Town.

This it is the first sanctuary of America and in it agglutinates January 21, every year thousands of Dominicans to yield him worship to the Virgin of La Altagracia.

At present the picture venerated of the miraculous image is exposed in the Basilica that was built to honor it set against the old Sanctuary and united him by a great avenue, modern and well visionary.

Of the columnist Can. Lic. Luis Jerónimo of Alcocer, natural of this island and who wrote it in the year of 1650 we take a testimony of great interest in a document that is conserved in the National Library of Madrid:

It says literally: The miraculous image of Our Lady of La Altagracia is in the village of Higüey, about thirty leagues from the city of Santo Domingo; innumerable are the mercies that the Lord our God has done and each day work with the ones that re entrusted to this holy image; it is evident that they brought to this island two nobles native of Placencia, in Extremadura, named Alonso and Antonio, of Trejo who were among the first settlers of this island, noble people like a decree of the king is composed of, in which commission to the governor of this island that accommodate them and he take advantage of in her, and having experienced some miracles that had done with them put it for greater devotion in the parish church of Higüey, where were neighbors and had estates.

It seems that the Lord our God does not wish that the village leave, because to the principles they sent for her the Archbishop and city Hall of the Cathedral and disappeared of a chest where they brought it closed with devotion and care and at the same time in its church of Higüey where was used to being; is painted in a very thin cloth, of average stick of long and the painting is of the Birth Is Our Lady with the Baby Jesus before and San José to its backs. And with having so much time has very you live the colors and the painting as fresh; they go in pilgrimage to this holy image of Our Lady of La Altagracia from all over this island and of those parts of the Indies that are nearby and every day many miracles are seen that by being so many are no longer ascertained nor written down; Some in sign of gratitude they cause they paint them in the walls And other parts of the church, and with being the less already there is not place for more. They are many charity that are done to this Holy Church, and thus is well provided of ornaments and has many silver lamps in front of its holy image.

The parish was erected by decree of the first bishop of Santo Domingo, Fray Garcia of Padilla May 12, 1512. Having already been a parish by this date one must think that the worship of the most holy Virgin, under any dedication, had already begun in those days, when joined with the proximity of the brothers Trejo by those years causes thinks that the worship to Our Lady of La Altagracia, with popular character, is not very distant of those first times.

Monseigneur Juan Félix Pepén, first Bishop of Higüey, indicates that the construction of the temple that replaced the old straw roofed hermitage, where had its first seat the worship to Our Lady of La Altagracia "Itself due chiefly to the Canon Alonso de Rock, who contributed for it its own economic resources and the direction of the works, and to the Superintendent of the Sanctuary, Mr. Simón de Bolívar, fifth Of South America who negotiated the necessary aid for its termination. Construction began between the years 1567 and 1569, and finished in 1572 when the temple was consecrated by the Archbishop Fray Andrés of Carvajal.

During the time of the apparition of the miraculous picture of the Virgin the population of Higüey included some 300 inhabitants; in business days was maintained almost deserted; men and women labored the land in the adjoining fields. The sanctuary is the only center that manages to group them giving him a conscience of social community.

The Sanctuary of Higüey

The historic village of Salvaleón of Higüey, founded toward the year 1505 by Juan de Esquivel
Juan de Esquivel
Juan de Esquivel was born in Seville, Spain and died in Jamaica in 1513. He conquered the island of Jamaica for the Spanish Crown.He accompanied Christopher Columbus in his second trip to the American continent in 1493 and participated in the conquest and colonization of the isle of La Española,...

, conqueror of Jamaica, emblazoned with real shield by order of the King of Spain, was the first sanctuary of María in America. The current temple of masonry began to build in the middle of the century XVI by the Can. Mr. Alonso of Rock and the Superintendent Mr. Simón Bolívar, fifth grandfather of the Liberator of South America. This solid construction that has resisted inconmovible as a rock to all the inclemencies of the time, has a single ship, temperate, with ceiling in vaulted form, that maintain five arches, of elegant simplicity and sturdiness. The dome forms a complete orange average and a seashell shelters the place that occupies the high altar. A star formed of stone is the decoration of the dome; in the arches they light up embedded in beautiful series cloverleaves. The high altar, in whose center the silver niche is emphasized that keeps the Old-fashioned Saint, is work of art of the century XVI, exaggerates, executed in rich mahogany carved by hand. The table of the to jump lights up an artistic silver hood, metal that covers also the steps and the Sacrarium.

The exterior part of the temple is simple, as well as the tower or bell tower, of scarce elevation, that keeps sonorous bells donated by the pious gentleman Mr. Joaquín Alfáu in the year of 1864, who also presented the pavement of marble of the temple in the year of 1876.

The Sanctuary hoards valiosísimas tokens of historic value, that are object always of the curiosity of the visitors; among others are found chiefly: the framework of gold and silver of the Virgin, with inlays of precious stones, being emphasized in it the rich brilliant emerald surrounded by, that their Holiness Pious X gave to ours well recalled Archbishop Adolfo Alejandro Nouel from time to time of their election as the President of the Republic, and that that illustrious prelate donated the Virgin of La Altagracia as sure token of its love and refined devotion; a gigantic and artistic custody of gold of it was colonial; an elegant throne of plant with inlays and chimes of gold of the year 1811 to remove the procession of the Sacred Picture of the Virgin; a bright hyphen silver gift of the President of the Real Audience of Saint The year of 1737; Likewise, of gold and silver a carries traveling; a crucifix, two chalices and cups, six sticks of the canopy, cross and parochial candlesticks, candelabras and flower pots, and other objects of the old silver worship.

Today the jewel of greater spiritual, religious, historic value and material with which counts the sanctuary, is the beautiful crown of gold and precious stones, concluded in a cross of diamonds that maintain two angels of solid gold, of seven edges of weight, that was concocted with the gold and alhajas donated by the Dominican Town for its Canonical and Papal Coronation, celebrated on the Altar from the Country the 15 of August of the year 1922

Airport

Punta Cana International Airport (IATA: PUJ, ICAO: MDPC) is a privately owned commercial airport in Punta Cana, eastern Dominican Republic. The airport is built in a traditional Dominican style with open-air terminals with their roofs covered in palm fronds. A number of scheduled and charter airlines fly to Punta Cana. The airport handled more than 1 million visitors in 2002, making it the busiest airport in the Dominican Republic. In 2007, Punta Cana received more than 3 million passengers. The operators plan to upgrade the airport, including adding another runway.

Touristic Sites

  • Bávaro
    Bávaro
    Bávaro is a touristic area in Punta Cana, located in La Altagracia province, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic. Bavaro was developed together with the resort area and tourist region of Punta Cana, as a town for resort workers...

  • Punta Cana
    Punta Cana
    Punta Cana is part of the newly created Punta Cana-Bávaro-Veron-Macao municipal district in La Altagracia, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic. The area is best known for its beaches and balnearios, which face both the Caribbean and Atlantic, and it has been a popular tourist...

  • Bayahibe
    Bayahibe
    Bayahibe is a town in the Dominican Republic, located about 10 miles east of La Romana on the shore of the Caribbean Sea. Founded as a fishing village in 1874 by Juan Brito and his family, who came from Puerto Rico, the town is now a touristic destination....

  • Boca de Yuma
    Boca de Yuma
    Boca de Yuma is a village in the province of La Altagracia, in the Dominican Republic. It is situated west of the mouth of the Rio Yuma, near the Caribbean Sea.The word Yuma is an indigenous Taíno name....

  • El Parque Nacional del Este
  • Basílica de Nuestra Señora de La Altagracia

External links

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