San Luis Acatlán
Encyclopedia
San Luis Acatlán is a town and municipality of the same name
located in the state of Guerrero
, Mexico
. It is located in the Costa Chica
region of the state, about 158 km from Acapulco
. Most often called simply "Acatlán", the name comes from the locality of Acatlán located in the modern state of Puebla
. The name itself derives from Náhuatl
, meaning "among the reeds". Indigenous shepards from Puebla arrived to this place between two rivers in Guerrero around 1750. San Luis derives from the name it was given in 1522 when soldiers of Pedro de Alvarado
arrived here on this saint's day (August 25).
s and Tlapanecos since the seventh century. Around 1457, the territory was conquered by the Aztec Empire, under the rule of Moctezuma Ilhuicamina. A number of stories exist about the town's beginnings but the most widely accepted has that the area was settled by the Tlapanecos, a group descended from a race called the Yopes. This group was in constant struggle with the Mexicas and other groups that caused them to move around in search of safer ground. In their wanderings, these people also founded towns such as Cintla, Tepetlapa, Ayutla de Álvarez, Suchitonala and Azoyú
.
After the Spanish conquest, soldiers associated with Pedro de Alvarado arrived, asking him for authorization to found a Spanish town here after discovering gold in a nearby river. Alvarado came here under orders of Hernán Cortés
to establish the town, naming it Villa de San Luis. In 1531, nearby Yopes attacked it. The Spanish response was to attack the Yopes, killing most, and taking many of their young as slaves. The few that remained dispersed to Oaxaca
and Central America
down to Nicaragua
.
After the river's gold ran out, the town became deserted. In 1532, the area was annexed to a town named Jalapa or Ayacaxtla. It was not until 1591, when the town became officially independent again due to efforts of the Jesuits to repopulate it. Around 1750, Olmeca
shepherds migrating from Puebla settled here, naming it after the place they came from and building their homes among Spanish ruins. Later Zapotecs from Oaxaca and another group called the Xalpatlahuac
from the low mountainous region of Guerrero joined them. The town was nearly wiped out again in 1825 when a large flood left few survivors.
and Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl
return each year for this event. The festival begins on April 25 with the blessing of the seeds and climaxes in the beginning of May with a number of events. During this time these people offer birds, flowers, food, copal
and wax figures at the various hills and other places considered sacred. However, the highlight of this event are the staged fights among various masked figures.
The rain petition begins on the last days of the festival when men in masks, wearing jute
sacks and carrying whip
s, called "tlacololeros" move in procession to the community leader's house. Here they offer the leader (called a "mayordomo") mezcal
and pozole
to invite him to the ceremonies. After this, the entire community goes to church as the church bells ring. In the early morning of May 2, dances dating back to pre-Hispanic times are performed. On May 3, there is a procession to Mount Cruzco. Last but not least, in the center of the town, men with leather masks, huge gloves and orange, yellow or green overalls painted to make them look like tiger
s (or sometimes jaguar
s) gather in groups of up to 22 to stage fights. The belief is that the harder the tigers fight, the more abundant the rains will be when they come. Each tiger is anonymous and fighters take care to dress away from everyone else to maintain that anonymity. Younger boys, are dressed similarly by their fathers, with cardboard masks and have the tasks of keeping the crowds back and sometimes helping one tiger against another. The adult tigers, called "tecuani" have leather masks decorated by local artesans, some of which are worth as much as $200USD.
San Luis Acatlán (municipality)
San Luis Acatlán is one of the 81 municipalities of Guerrero, in south-western Mexico. The municipal seat lies at San Luis Acatlán. The municipality covers an area of 704.4 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 41,884.-History:...
located in the state of Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It is located in the Costa Chica
Costa Chica
Costa Chica may refer to:Other*Costa Chica...
region of the state, about 158 km from Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
. Most often called simply "Acatlán", the name comes from the locality of Acatlán located in the modern state of Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
. The name itself derives from Náhuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
, meaning "among the reeds". Indigenous shepards from Puebla arrived to this place between two rivers in Guerrero around 1750. San Luis derives from the name it was given in 1522 when soldiers of Pedro de Alvarado
Pedro de Alvarado
Pedro de Alvarado y Contreras was a Spanish conquistador and governor of Guatemala. He participated in the conquest of Cuba, in Juan de Grijalva's exploration of the coasts of Yucatan and the Gulf of Mexico, and in the conquest of Mexico led by Hernan Cortes...
arrived here on this saint's day (August 25).
History
The areas has been occupied by MixtecMixtec
The Mixtec are indigenous Mesoamerican peoples inhabiting the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla in a region known as La Mixteca. The Mixtecan languages form an important branch of the Otomanguean language family....
s and Tlapanecos since the seventh century. Around 1457, the territory was conquered by the Aztec Empire, under the rule of Moctezuma Ilhuicamina. A number of stories exist about the town's beginnings but the most widely accepted has that the area was settled by the Tlapanecos, a group descended from a race called the Yopes. This group was in constant struggle with the Mexicas and other groups that caused them to move around in search of safer ground. In their wanderings, these people also founded towns such as Cintla, Tepetlapa, Ayutla de Álvarez, Suchitonala and Azoyú
Azoyú
Azoyu is a city and seat of the municipality of Azoyu, in the state of Guerrero, south-western Mexico....
.
After the Spanish conquest, soldiers associated with Pedro de Alvarado arrived, asking him for authorization to found a Spanish town here after discovering gold in a nearby river. Alvarado came here under orders of Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
to establish the town, naming it Villa de San Luis. In 1531, nearby Yopes attacked it. The Spanish response was to attack the Yopes, killing most, and taking many of their young as slaves. The few that remained dispersed to Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
down to Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
.
After the river's gold ran out, the town became deserted. In 1532, the area was annexed to a town named Jalapa or Ayacaxtla. It was not until 1591, when the town became officially independent again due to efforts of the Jesuits to repopulate it. Around 1750, Olmeca
Olmeca
Olmeca is a genus of bamboo known from southern Mexico and comprising 2 species. Both have large fleshy fruits - a characteristic unique among New World bamboos, and rhizomes with long necks and very open clumps....
shepherds migrating from Puebla settled here, naming it after the place they came from and building their homes among Spanish ruins. Later Zapotecs from Oaxaca and another group called the Xalpatlahuac
Xalpatlahuac
Xalpatlahuac is a city and seat of the municipality of Xalpatlahuac, in the state of Guerrero, southwestern Mexico....
from the low mountainous region of Guerrero joined them. The town was nearly wiped out again in 1825 when a large flood left few survivors.
Atlzazilistle (Festival to petition for rain)
In late April and early May, the Nahuas in this community participate in this event of pre-Hispanic origins to bring about the rainy season and to assure good crops. Community members who have migrated as far as Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl
Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl
Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, or more commonly Ciudad Neza, is a city and municipality of Mexico State adjacent to the northeast corner of Mexico's Federal District: it is thus part of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. It was named after Nezahualcoyotl, the Acolhua poet and king of nearby Texcoco, and...
return each year for this event. The festival begins on April 25 with the blessing of the seeds and climaxes in the beginning of May with a number of events. During this time these people offer birds, flowers, food, copal
Copal
Copal is a name given to tree resin that is particularly identified with the aromatic resins used by the cultures of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica as ceremonially burned incense and other purposes...
and wax figures at the various hills and other places considered sacred. However, the highlight of this event are the staged fights among various masked figures.
The rain petition begins on the last days of the festival when men in masks, wearing jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
sacks and carrying whip
Whip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
s, called "tlacololeros" move in procession to the community leader's house. Here they offer the leader (called a "mayordomo") mezcal
Mezcal
Mezcal, or mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant native to Mexico. The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl metl and ixcalli which mean 'oven cooked agave.'...
and pozole
Pozole
Pozole is a ritually significant, traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew from Mexico. Pozole was mentioned in Fray Bernardino de Sahagún's "General History of the Things of New Spain" circa 1500 CE. It is made from nixtamalized cacahuazintle corn, with meat, usually pork, chicken, turkey, pork...
to invite him to the ceremonies. After this, the entire community goes to church as the church bells ring. In the early morning of May 2, dances dating back to pre-Hispanic times are performed. On May 3, there is a procession to Mount Cruzco. Last but not least, in the center of the town, men with leather masks, huge gloves and orange, yellow or green overalls painted to make them look like tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s (or sometimes jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
s) gather in groups of up to 22 to stage fights. The belief is that the harder the tigers fight, the more abundant the rains will be when they come. Each tiger is anonymous and fighters take care to dress away from everyone else to maintain that anonymity. Younger boys, are dressed similarly by their fathers, with cardboard masks and have the tasks of keeping the crowds back and sometimes helping one tiger against another. The adult tigers, called "tecuani" have leather masks decorated by local artesans, some of which are worth as much as $200USD.