Feliciano Ama
Encyclopedia
José Feliciano Ama was an indigenous
peasant leader, a Pipil from Izalco
in El Salvador
, who participated and died in the 1932 Salvadoran peasant uprising
.
Ama had his lands taken by the wealthy coffee planting family, the Regalados, during which he was hung by his thumbs and beaten. This was in the context of liberal reforms which stripped the indigenous population of access to their communal lands, which were appropriated by private landowners .
Ama was a day laborer in Izalco. He married Josefa Shupan, who came from an influential Pipil family in Izalco. 1917 he became member of the catholic brotherhood Cofradía del Corpus Christi.
His father-in-law Patricio Shupan was mayordomo of the brotherhood, who died in 1917 after participating at a dinner with president Carlos Meléndez
. After Shupan's death Feliciano Ama became head of the brotherhood, which consisted exclusevily of Pipil.
In the early morning of January 22, 1932 Feliciano Ama lead the Pipil peasants of Izalco into the uprising against the landlords. With several hundred supporters he marched to the capital of the department Sonsonate. There the mayor was killed by insurgents from Juayúa
, but landlords accused Ama, who fled into the hills of Izalco. There he was found by soldiers from the garrison of Izalco under commander Cabrera, captured and hanged
in the center of Izalco.
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
peasant leader, a Pipil from Izalco
Izalco
Izalco is a municipality in the Sonsonate department of El Salvador.Volcan Izalco is an icon of the country of El Salvador, a very young parasitic cone on the flank of Santa Ana volcano...
in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, who participated and died in the 1932 Salvadoran peasant uprising
1932 Salvadoran peasant uprising
The peasant uprising of 1932, also known as La matanza , was a brief, peasant-led rebellion that occurred on January 22 of that year in the western departments of El Salvador...
.
Ama had his lands taken by the wealthy coffee planting family, the Regalados, during which he was hung by his thumbs and beaten. This was in the context of liberal reforms which stripped the indigenous population of access to their communal lands, which were appropriated by private landowners .
Ama was a day laborer in Izalco. He married Josefa Shupan, who came from an influential Pipil family in Izalco. 1917 he became member of the catholic brotherhood Cofradía del Corpus Christi.
His father-in-law Patricio Shupan was mayordomo of the brotherhood, who died in 1917 after participating at a dinner with president Carlos Meléndez
Carlos Meléndez (politician)
Carlos Meléndez Ramirez was President of El Salvador 9 February 1913 - 29 August 1914 and 1 March 1915 - 21 December 1918....
. After Shupan's death Feliciano Ama became head of the brotherhood, which consisted exclusevily of Pipil.
In the early morning of January 22, 1932 Feliciano Ama lead the Pipil peasants of Izalco into the uprising against the landlords. With several hundred supporters he marched to the capital of the department Sonsonate. There the mayor was killed by insurgents from Juayúa
Juayúa
Juayúa is a municipality in the Sonsonate department of El Salvador.Juayua is a quaint little town up in the mountains, founded in 1577. The town's central plaza faces an old white cathedral that features a black Christ statue. This statue is a sister statue to that of the revered Basilica of...
, but landlords accused Ama, who fled into the hills of Izalco. There he was found by soldiers from the garrison of Izalco under commander Cabrera, captured and hanged
Gallows
A gallows is a frame, typically wooden, used for execution by hanging, or by means to torture before execution, as was used when being hanged, drawn and quartered...
in the center of Izalco.