DOCTOR ANDRES BELLO UNIVERSITY CHALATENANGO

HISTORY OF EL CHALATENANGO

Teacher:

Glendy Vanessa Martinez Clavel

Theme:

History of Chalatenango

Group Members:

William Alexander Guevara Salinas

Michelle Alejandra Franco Rivera

Melida Areli Landaverde Mira

Roberto Alexis Duran Chavez

 ORIGIN AND FOUNDATION OF CHALATENANGO

The name Chalatenango is of Náhuatl origin, and comes from chal, salt, sand; at,
water, river; and Tenango, valley. Its etymology is, therefore, valley of sandy waters.

This town was founded in pre-Columbian times by Lenca tribes, but at the end of the
15th century it was subjugated by the end of the XV century it was subdued by the
Pipils.

In 1550 Chalatenango had about 600 inhabitants. The mayor of San Salvador Don
Manuel de Gálvez de Corral, writes that in 1740 San Juan Chalatenango had about
125 inhabitants, as it had 25 tributary Indians or heads of families. In 1770, according
to Archbishop Don Pedro Cortes de Larraz, Chalatenango was the head of the curato
of the same name, which included the towns of Arcatao, Concepción Quezaltepeque
and Techonchogo (today San Miguel de las Mercedes), plus 56 haciendas with
prosperous valleys and villages.

On February 16, 1831 the town of Chalatenango, in the department of San Salvador,
was granted the Title of Villa, it was granted to Chalatenango in recognition of the
important services rendered in the process of independence and in the armed
struggle from 1827 to 1829, which led to the reestablishment of constitutional order in
Central America (Strategic Plan of the Republic).

Did you know that: We owe the foundation of the department to Colonel Jose Maria
San Martin who gave the order as president of the Federal Republic of Central
America on February 14, 1855, despite being Honduran by birth, his childhood
developed into what we know today like Chalatenango. One of the main streets of
our municipality bears his name. San Martín Street that extends from the Municipal
Palace to the Cayaguanca Cinema Theater.
 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

As far as traditional agricultural activities are concerned, the oldest known crops are
indigo, which was known as indigo.

Other traditional crops in the diet include corn, beans, maicillo, ayote, rice, some
vegetables and peanuts.The population has become more of a cattle rancher than a
grain producer, now more grass is planted and on Tuesdays there is tiangue where
cattle are marketed. and on Tuesdays there is a tiangue where cattle are sold. There
is artisanal production of dairy products, although most of the dairy products,
although most of the milk that is produced is sold to intermediaries who come to buy
it either from who come to buy it from Apopa or San Salvador.

Symbols

On April 27, 1969, in a contest held by the Government, Mrs. Carmen Urbina,
originally from Chalatenango and a teacher by profession, won the contest for the
design of the municipal shield.

The Chalatenango held of arms was adopted in 1969, and since then it has been a
national symbol that represents the department. The shield of the department of
Chalatenango is made up of two flags on the sides, of which the left is that of
Chalatenango and the right of El Salvador.

What does the hold of arms of Chalatenango mean?

The center is divided into five sections:

· In the first, in the upper left corner, agriculture, livestock (economic

activities), and the rock of Cayaguanca de San Ignacio are represented.

· In the second, on the upper right side, a typical picture that symbolizes
corn.

· In the third part, in the center of it, there is the map of Chalatenango,
marking the head of the department and the pine forests of the upper area.
 · The Lempa bridge (Colima) is shown at the lower end of the left side, and
the 5 de Noviembre dam is shown at the right. The representative symbology of
the Chalatenango shield has been enclosed in an oval and within this another
smaller one

· Between the width and the length, the date of foundation of the department
(February 14, 1855) is observed and it is surrounded by 33 stars, which represent
the number of municipalities it has, as well as three larger stars, which reflect the
three districts of the department. of Chalatenango (Chalatenango, Tejutla and
Dulce Nombre de María).

Chalatenango Flag

The Chalatenango flag is made up of three colors: Blue, white, and green. These
colors have their own meaning. Blue represents our homeland El Salvador; the white
color represents peace, and the green color of the lower part represents the green of
the department's crops.

Chalatenango Hymn

It is a representative hymn of the department in which some details of places are also
mentioned. Although it is popularly believed that it is Pancho Lara's "Chalatenango,
blessed land", this is the official anthem of the department of Chalatenango.
Likewise, there is very little information about him and he is quite unknown by the
chalatecos.
 Chalatenango handicrafts

The crafts of the department of Chalatenango are well known. These handicrafts are
mostly created in the municipality of La Palma, in which when entering the urban part
of it you can even see the walls of the houses ordered with the characteristic details
of the handicrafts.

In La Palma, the interest in producing handicrafts was born at the end of the 70s,
when Fernando Llort had the initiative to teach this art to the local inhabitants.
Initially, they began working with seeds from the Copinol tree, which, when split in
two, have a hard, white part in the center on which details can be carved or painted.
Currently they work mostly in the creation of wooden crafts. In the center of La Palma
is the Placita Artesanal, a place destined to gather handicrafts for tourists who wish
to acquire them. But you can also find other stores where you can buy these crafts
that are also traded nationally and internationally.

Cultural constructions of Chalatenango.

Chalatenango is known for having old buildings that still exist with the time as part of
the history of the department . Currently some of them are improved and built in a
different way, but they continue to keep a cultural history for Chalatenango.
 The municipal palace.

Which was built in the years 1903 and 1910. Its form of construction is the same,
there are only some differences with its color and renovation that help keep it.

Years ago the park that is in the center of Chalatenango did not exist, there was only
the municipal palace that always has been a place where the mayor and other people
from the municipality work with the administration of Chalatenango.

The old photo of this place was taken in 1916 and the next one is how it is today .

San Juan Bautista church which is known as "Cathedral”

This church is another of the most representative cultural structures in the history of
Chalatenango and one of the first built in the department.

The origin of the name is in honor of the saint Juan Baurtista who represents it, and
every year festivities are celebrated in which the inhabitants of Chalatenango enjoy.

This church of Chalatenango has renovations that make it one of the most attractive
things in the town. Tourists who visit Chalatenango have the habit of arriving in the
city and taking some photos with their families of the landscape of the church.

Years ago the church was like an adobe house where people celebrated religious
acts, years later it became one of the most beautiful churches in Chalatenango and
El Salvador.
 The Military Detachment #1 also known as (DM1)

This place is in the center of the city, and in it are the authorities of Chalatenango,
who are in charge of taking care of and keeping the security of the town.

DM1 was founded on July 2, 1913 and in the past it also had the name of “Second
Infantry Regiment”. But at present, it has the name DM1.

During the civil war of El Salvador in the years 1980, Chalatenango had fights
between military forces and war, by the location of Military Detachment Number 1 in
the center of the city.

After that, with the signing of the peace agreements, the situation changed with the
help of the community.

Currently the DM1 helps with tasks of security in the streets with the police in
chalatenango.

Portals Of Chalatenango

which are part of its history. When you appreciate the beautiful portals that the whole
city has and the conservation of old buildings; you can see a lot of business , an
important characteristic of the portals, because in the past it was the place where
foreigners sold products and served as a bedroom during the indigo fairs, and you
can also see people that visit chalatenango and walk in the portals.
 Cayaguanca Cinema

It was built in 1950, and was one of the main entertainments in Chalatenango. At that
time the pipian seed was very popular and was known as "chicle chalateco". These
seeds were sold as snacks to enjoy during the movies and cultural events that were
seen in the place. With the years the Cayaguanca cinema lost the function of
transmitting films by the lack of investment, but it continues to preserve history and
culture for Chalatenango, and the present there are renovations such as a change of
paint, and other things, to keep this cultural place.

Currently the place has a development process as a cultural theater that has spaces
like important culture festivals , and social events of the city.

Cayaguanca means "stone that sees the stars", and in Chorti it means "box of water".
The name of this place was inspired by a stone located in San Ignacio, which is
called in the same way and it is known for a big size.

Evolution of the coin

Cocoa:

Years ago, the products were bought with seeds of cocoa as money in
Chalatenango, and the whole country. The reason for this has history in the past
when our ancestors used cocoa as coin , because they believed that chocolate was
the drink of gods.

The monetary unit of cocoa was called Xontle which had a number of 400 seeds of
cocoa.
 The Real and Macacos or Morlacos:

These were the first coins that existed until 1931 when the first house of the coins
was founded in Guatemala. Macacos were made of metal and had the columns of
Hercules drawn on them.

At the same time that macacos appeared others that are :

The farm tokens:

These were made of brass and shaped like a circle. Farm tokens were used to pay
for jobs that existed in the past. With this type of coin people had the products that
they needed.

Then, the coin had another change.

Peso as coin:

In 1883 in the government of President Rafael Zaldivar, the first monetary law was
created where the peso existed as a monetary unit for services where it had an
equivalence of 10 reals.

The colon as coin:

On August 28, with the government of Carlos Ezeta, the house of a coin became
popular, and in the same year, in tribute to Christopher Columbus, on the fourth
centenary of the discovery of America, a monetary law was taken into account that
changed the name of peso to Colon. Its value was 2 colons for 1 dollar.
 The dollar.

Until the year 2,000 the colon existed and the dollar of the United States of America
began to be used, which today continues as a coin of payment for our services.

The change of the coin has led to years of innovation that have helped in the
development of the economy and society of Chalatenango and the whole country.

Fiestas Patronales of Chalatenango

The patron saint festivities of Chalatenango are a tradition of more than 280 years in
the city of Chalatenango. It is considered as the main festivity of the department, in
which the birth of St. John the Baptist, patron of the diocese that bears the same
name, is commemorated

These festivities are usually celebrated from June 15 to 24 of each year. The main
day of the patron saint festivities is June 24, although also the 23rd is celebrated on
the eve of them in which there are many activities in which the Catholic Church,
pastorals and communities collaborate
 Las Palancas

On June 23, the day of the eve, the traditional "Palancas Tickets" are celebrated in
the afternoon, which consist of the communities of the parish offering fruits, crops
and sometimes animals to be sold to the attending public and the proceeds serve as
help for the church. Two people from each place, during a procession in which they
carry on their shoulders a stick or wood adorned with fruits as offerings to the patron.

La Feria

Another attraction of the patron saint festivities of Chalatenango are the mechanical
games that are located in the Pedestrian Square, in the center of the city or in the
parking lot of the Gregorio Martínez Stadium. For this 2022 they will be located in the
stadium, which is located in Totolco, road to Chalatenango. In this festival there is
also a variety of shops that offer their products to the Chalatecos, among which we
can mention the sale of handicrafts, fast food, snacks typical sweets and fun games

El Descubrimiento

In addition, another important activity is the discovery of San Juan Bautista, which is
an act in which the image of San Juan Bautista is shown before the faithful and then
a procession is made with the patron saint through the streets of Chalatenango. It
should be noted that in Chalatenango two other festivals are also celebrated, in
November the fair of all saints and in December the “dicembrinas” festivities in honor
of the Child God, but this is the patronal and main festival.
 Customs & Traditions

Las Palancas

The entrance of Las Palancas is one of the traditions of Chalatenango that has
remained for many years as part of our cultural wealth, however it also has a
symbolic meaning that is worth knowing. "The tickets" are made in the course of the
patron saint festivities of Chalatenango, in honor of its patron saint San Juan

San Juan Bautista Patrono De Chalatenango

In El Salvador it is tradition that each place or each town has a saint who represents
it. This is how in Chalatenango we have San Juan Bautista as patron. Throughout
history much information has been found that relates this saint to Chalatenango. St.
John the Baptist was the ancestor of Jesus of Nazareth .

Los Entilados

The entilados, Indian or indigenous is a tradition of the Barrio El Calvario in

Chalatenango, dating from the year of 1945, according to the narration of Don Julio
César Chinchilla, inhabitant of the Barrio El Calvario who from the young age of 7
years began his incorporation into this select group. This history was implemented as
a custom of that department and every year they commemorate it in honor of the
indigenous Indians of Holy Week.