Totatiche
Encyclopedia
The municipality and town of Totatiche is located in the northern extreme of the state of Jalisco
, Mexico
between 21°48’30” and 22°06’00” latitude north and 103°20’00” and 103°34’00” longitude east at a height of 1751 metres (5,744.8 ft) above sea level. The municipality is bordered on the north and southeast by the state of Zacatecas
. On the northeast, it shares its border with the municipality of Colotlán
and on the west it is bordered by the municipalities of Villa Guerrero and Chimaltitán.
The municipality covers an area of 542.98 square kilometres (209.6 sq mi). Its hydrology is defined by the Bolaños river, which demarcates its northern border with Zacatecas
and the Cartagenas River which crosses the municipality and flows into the latter. There are five dams in the municipality: Candelaria, Magallanes, Temastián, La Boquilla and Agua Zarca and smaller ones in Romita, San Francisco, and Totolco.
and later by the Spaniards as the Chichimeca, and the ethnic groups of the area, collectively referred to as Chichimecs, were considered bellicose and uncivilized.
In April of 1530, Captain Pedro Almíndez Chirino
is sent from El Teul towards Zacatecas
by Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán
. On his return from Zacatecas, Alméndez Chirinos was to meet Beltrán de Guzmán in Tepic. The route from Zacatecas to Tepic led Alméndez Chirinos through the area of what is now Totatiche and west toward the Bolaños Canyon. Upon his arrival in Tepic, he informed Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán of the area's wealth of silver.
Totatiche was founded in April of 1595 by Captain Miguel Caldera
, Justice Major and protector of the pacified Chichimec tribes. The Viceroy of New Spain had sent several hundred Tlaxcaltec
families to settle nearby Colotlán
in 1591, in order to populate the region and help pacify the still unruly Chichimecs of the region. It is believed that some of these families were later moved to Totatiche with similar goals.
After founding the convent in nearby Colotlán in August of 1591, Fray Juan Gómez proceeded with the conversion of local indigenous tribes to Christianity. At that time, there were a mere seven haciendas in the region: Acatepulco, founded in 1571, Santa María de Gracia, Totolco, El Salitre, Juanacatic, Patagua and Cartagena. At the end of the 17th century the small Spanish population in the area was centered around Cartagena and a hacienda owned by the De La O family. A number of land grants in the region were made to Spaniards at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century. Among the grantees were Felipe Lemus, Juan Jose Pinedo and Francisco Gutierres del Palacio. In April 1711, Fray Antonio Margil de Jesús embarked on a mission in Totatiche whose historical legacy is the local vocation to the Virgen del Rosario, the town and the parish's patron saint.
Population began to grow considerably after 1730 due to the local wealth created by the silver mines in nearby Bolaños
. Totatiche depended on Colotlán for administrative and religious purposes until 1755 when a local parish was established. Construction on the currently standing parish temple in the town center was finished in 1901.
Totatiche hosts an auxiliary seminary of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara
. The seminary was founded in 1915 by Saint Cristóbal Magallanes Jara
, who was arrested in the town in 1926 and later executed in neighboring Colotlán
as part of the persecution of clergy during the Cristero Rebellion.
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, 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...
between 21°48’30” and 22°06’00” latitude north and 103°20’00” and 103°34’00” longitude east at a height of 1751 metres (5,744.8 ft) above sea level. The municipality is bordered on the north and southeast by the state of Zacatecas
Zacatecas
Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....
. On the northeast, it shares its border with the municipality of Colotlán
Colotlán
The municipality of Colotlán is located in the northern extremity of the Mexican state of Jalisco. The municipality covers an area of approximately 505 square kilometers...
and on the west it is bordered by the municipalities of Villa Guerrero and Chimaltitán.
The municipality covers an area of 542.98 square kilometres (209.6 sq mi). Its hydrology is defined by the Bolaños river, which demarcates its northern border with Zacatecas
Zacatecas
Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....
and the Cartagenas River which crosses the municipality and flows into the latter. There are five dams in the municipality: Candelaria, Magallanes, Temastián, La Boquilla and Agua Zarca and smaller ones in Romita, San Francisco, and Totolco.
Population
The population of the municipality of Totatiche was 4,217 inhabitants in 2005, of which 1,287 lived in the municipal seat Totatiche. In 2000, there were 1,372 economically active individuals. Of these, the largest percentage (37.2%) were employed in ranching and agriculture, followed by the manufacturing sector (12.9%), commerce (10.9%) and construction (10.7%).History
Totatiche is located in what was historically the convergence of territories of various indigenous tribes, namely tribes of the Tepehuan, Caxcan and Zacatec. This area, north of the Lerma-Santiago river, was known by the MexicaMexica
The Mexica were a pre-Columbian people of central Mexico.Mexica may also refer to:*Mexica , a board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling*Mexica , a 2005 novel by Norman Spinrad...
and later by the Spaniards as the Chichimeca, and the ethnic groups of the area, collectively referred to as Chichimecs, were considered bellicose and uncivilized.
In April of 1530, Captain Pedro Almíndez Chirino
Pedro Almíndez Chirino
Pedro Almíndez Chirino was a conquistador and member of several councils that governed New Spain while Hernán Cortés was traveling to Honduras, in 1525-26...
is sent from El Teul towards Zacatecas
Zacatecas
Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....
by Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán
Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán
Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán or sometimes Nuño de Guzmán was a Spanish conquistador and colonial administrator in New Spain. He was Governor of the province of Pánuco from 1525–1533, and of Nueva Galicia from 1529–1534, President of the first Audiencia from 1528-30. He founded several cities in...
. On his return from Zacatecas, Alméndez Chirinos was to meet Beltrán de Guzmán in Tepic. The route from Zacatecas to Tepic led Alméndez Chirinos through the area of what is now Totatiche and west toward the Bolaños Canyon. Upon his arrival in Tepic, he informed Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán of the area's wealth of silver.
Totatiche was founded in April of 1595 by Captain Miguel Caldera
Miguel Caldera
Miguel Caldera was an important figure in the pacification and colonization of Mexico's northern frontier immediately following the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.-Early life:...
, Justice Major and protector of the pacified Chichimec tribes. The Viceroy of New Spain had sent several hundred Tlaxcaltec
Tlaxcaltec
The Tlaxcalteca were an indigenous group of Nahua ethnicity that inhabited the Kingdom of Tlaxcala located in what is now the Mexican state of Tlaxcala.-Pre-hispanic history:...
families to settle nearby Colotlán
Colotlán
The municipality of Colotlán is located in the northern extremity of the Mexican state of Jalisco. The municipality covers an area of approximately 505 square kilometers...
in 1591, in order to populate the region and help pacify the still unruly Chichimecs of the region. It is believed that some of these families were later moved to Totatiche with similar goals.
After founding the convent in nearby Colotlán in August of 1591, Fray Juan Gómez proceeded with the conversion of local indigenous tribes to Christianity. At that time, there were a mere seven haciendas in the region: Acatepulco, founded in 1571, Santa María de Gracia, Totolco, El Salitre, Juanacatic, Patagua and Cartagena. At the end of the 17th century the small Spanish population in the area was centered around Cartagena and a hacienda owned by the De La O family. A number of land grants in the region were made to Spaniards at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century. Among the grantees were Felipe Lemus, Juan Jose Pinedo and Francisco Gutierres del Palacio. In April 1711, Fray Antonio Margil de Jesús embarked on a mission in Totatiche whose historical legacy is the local vocation to the Virgen del Rosario, the town and the parish's patron saint.
Population began to grow considerably after 1730 due to the local wealth created by the silver mines in nearby Bolaños
Bolaños
The municipality of Bolaños is located in the north of the Mexican state of Jalisco.The municipality shares its border on the north with the municipalities of Mezquitic and Villa Guerrero and to the southeast with the municipality of Chimaltitán...
. Totatiche depended on Colotlán for administrative and religious purposes until 1755 when a local parish was established. Construction on the currently standing parish temple in the town center was finished in 1901.
Totatiche hosts an auxiliary seminary of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara
Archdiocese of Guadalajara
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guadalajara is a Roman Catholic archdiocese based in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. It currently covers an area of 20,827 km²...
. The seminary was founded in 1915 by Saint Cristóbal Magallanes Jara
Cristóbal Magallanes Jara
Saint Cristóbal Magallanes Jara, also known as Christopher Magallanes is a martyr and saint venerated in the Catholic Church who was killed without trial on the way to say Mass during the Cristero War after the trumped up charge of inciting rebellion. He was born in Totatiche, Jalisco, Mexico on...
, who was arrested in the town in 1926 and later executed in neighboring Colotlán
Colotlán
The municipality of Colotlán is located in the northern extremity of the Mexican state of Jalisco. The municipality covers an area of approximately 505 square kilometers...
as part of the persecution of clergy during the Cristero Rebellion.
Sources
- Esteban Valdés Salazar, Historia de Totatiche
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática (INEGI)
- State of Jalisco, Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México