Guazacapán
Encyclopedia
Guazacapán is a town
located in Santa Rosa Department
in south-west Guatemala.
Guazacapán is also the name of the municipality in Santa Rosa Department around the town of Guazacapán. The municipality of Guazacapán covers 172 km² with a population of some 12,250 .
times, being in existence prior to the coming of the Spanish Conquistador
es in the 16th century.
Guazacapán is known for the supposed witchcraft
that used to be widely practiced by the indigenous people. The last of the great wizards, Pedro Dávila, died in 1979, and the craft is quickly being forgotten. There are still a few people who practice "white magic" in Guazacapán.
Once the Guazacapán area was inhabited by Xinca
, one of Guatemala's indigenous groups. They settled there after the Pipil. Unfortunately, today Xinca
is only spoken by three people in Guazacapan. Currently, there are efforts being made to teach this ancient language to the newer generations. There is in the town a rich history, and the people who live there keep that history alive through celebrations that incorporate traditional costume, marimba
music and folkloric dance.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
located in Santa Rosa Department
Santa Rosa Department
Santa Rosa Department may refer to:*Argentina**Santa Rosa Department, Catamarca**Santa Rosa Department, Mendoza*Guatemala**Santa Rosa Department, Guatemala...
in south-west Guatemala.
Guazacapán is also the name of the municipality in Santa Rosa Department around the town of Guazacapán. The municipality of Guazacapán covers 172 km² with a population of some 12,250 .
History
The town dates back to pre-ColumbianPre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
times, being in existence prior to the coming of the Spanish Conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
es in the 16th century.
Guazacapán is known for the supposed witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
that used to be widely practiced by the indigenous people. The last of the great wizards, Pedro Dávila, died in 1979, and the craft is quickly being forgotten. There are still a few people who practice "white magic" in Guazacapán.
Once the Guazacapán area was inhabited by Xinca
Xinca people
The Xinca are a non-Mayan indigenous people of Mesoamerica, with communities in the southern portion of Guatemala, near its border with El Salvador, and in the mountainous region to the north....
, one of Guatemala's indigenous groups. They settled there after the Pipil. Unfortunately, today Xinca
Xinca language
The Xinca language is a Mesoamerican language spoken by the indigenous Xinca people from communities in the southern portion of Guatemala, near its border with El Salvador and in the mountainous region to the north...
is only spoken by three people in Guazacapan. Currently, there are efforts being made to teach this ancient language to the newer generations. There is in the town a rich history, and the people who live there keep that history alive through celebrations that incorporate traditional costume, marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
music and folkloric dance.