Jayuya, Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
Jayuya is a municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
located in the mountainous center region of the island, north of Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
; east of Utuado
Utuado, Puerto Rico
Utuado is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central-western mountainous region of the island known as La Cordillera Central. It is located north of Adjuntas and Ponce; south of Hatillo and Arecibo; east of Lares; and west of Ciales and Jayuya. In land area it is the third-largest...
; and west of Ciales
Ciales, Puerto Rico
Ciales is a municipality of Puerto Rico, located on the Central Mountain Range, northwest of Orocovis; south of Florida and Manatí; east of Utuado and Jayuya; and west of Morovis. Ciales is spread over eight wards and Ciales Pueblo...
. Jayuya is spread over 18 wards and Jayuya Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is the principal city of the Jayuya Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Named after the Taino tribal leader, Hayuya
Hayuya
Hayuya was the Taino Cacique who governed the area in Puerto Rico which now bears his name .-Arrival of the Conquistadors:...
, Jayuya is known for its skilled wood carvers. Among its monuments are the statue of Nemesio Canales
Nemesio Canales
Nemesio R. Canales was a Puerto Rican essayist, journalist, novelist, playwright, politician and activist who defended women's civil rights...
and the bust of Hayuya, both by the Puerto Rican sculptor Tomás Batista
Tomás Batista
Tomás Batista is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest sculptor. He is the creator of some of Puerto Rico's most famous monuments.-Early years:...
.
History
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, which greatly boosted the local economy.
In 1911, the town was officially declared a municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
with a population of more than 9,000. In 1950, the town was the setting of what was known as the Jayuya Uprising
Jayuya Uprising
The Jayuya Uprising, also known as the Jayuya Revolt or El Grito de Jayuya, refers to a nationalist revolt in the town of Jayuya, Puerto Rico which occurred on October 30, 1950...
, where nationalists started a revolt against the Government of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
led by Blanca Canales
Blanca Canales
Blanca Canales Torresola was a Puerto Rican nationalist leader. Canales may possibly have been the first woman to have led a revolt against the United States when she led the The Jayuya Uprising.-Early years:...
, a social worker, and her cousins, Elio and Doris Torresola. Canales led the group into the town square and gave a speech, declaring Puerto Rico an independent republic. The police station was later attacked, telephone lines cut, and the post office burned to the ground. One police officer was killed and three others wounded in these attacks. The group held the town for three days, until it was was bombed by U. S. planes supporting a ground attack by the Puerto Rican National Guard. Even though an extensive part of the town was destroyed, news of the bombing was not reported outside of Puerto Rico. It was called an incident between Puerto Ricans by the media on the mainland. Because of the event, the town continues to be a source of nationalist pride to many Puerto Ricans both on the island and on the mainland.
Flag
The flag is rectangular in shape and derives its symbolism from the Coat of Arms. It symbolizes the spirit of people proud of their TaínoTaíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
heritage and their hospitality.
Coat of arms
Jayuya's Coat of Arms consists of a shield with a three tower crown above, which is standard for municipalities. Inside the shield, centered at the top, a crown representing Chief HayuyaHayuya
Hayuya was the Taino Cacique who governed the area in Puerto Rico which now bears his name .-Arrival of the Conquistadors:...
's monarchy. In the center a green band with a white border representing the Tres Picachos
Tres Picachos
Tres Picachos is one of the highest peaks in Puerto Rico at . It is located on the border between the municipalities of Ciales and Jayuya in the central part of the island, and is part of the Cordillera Central....
(Three Peaks) mountains. The green color symbolizes the countryside and the town's matron, La Virgen de la Monserrate. At the bottom of the shield, is a petroglyph
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
known as the Taíno Sun found in Jayuya.
Geography
Monte Jayuya
Monte Jayuya is the second highest peak of Puerto Rico measuring above sea level. The mountain is located in the Cordillera Central, on the border between the municipalities of Jayuya and Ponce....
, Cerro Rosa
Cerro Rosa
Cerro Rosa is the third highest peak of Puerto Rico measuring above sea level. The mountain is located in the Cordillera Central, on the border between the municipalities of Ciales and Jayuya....
, and Tres Picachos
Tres Picachos
Tres Picachos is one of the highest peaks in Puerto Rico at . It is located on the border between the municipalities of Ciales and Jayuya in the central part of the island, and is part of the Cordillera Central....
.
The town's total area is estimated at 39.4 square miles (102.05 km²). Part of the Toro Negro State Forest
Toro Negro State Forest
Toro Negro State Forest is one of the 16 state forests in Puerto Rico. The forest is located in the central region of the island. The forest covers 6,945 cuerdas of mountains, with heights that include Cerro de Punta, the highest peak in the island...
is located within the municipality oif Jayuya. Rivers like Río Naranjito
Río Naranjito
-See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
and Río Yunes
Río Yunes
-See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
, as well as the Río Grande de Jayuya
Río Grande de Jayuya
-See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
and its various affluents, flow through this municipality.
Climate
As in most municipalities located in the mountain region, the climate is mostly cool with temperatures in the 80 to 70°F (27 to 21°C) range. However, they are known to go as low as 50 or 60°F (10 or 16°C) during some winters.Barrios (wards)
- Coabey
- Collores
- Jauca
- Jayuya Abajo
- Jayuya Pueblo
- Mameyes
- La Pica
- Las Arenas
- Río Grande
- Saliente
- Veguitas
- Zama
- Gripiñas
Tourism
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. There are several landmarks for tourists to consider like the Nemesio Canales
Nemesio Canales
Nemesio R. Canales was a Puerto Rican essayist, journalist, novelist, playwright, politician and activist who defended women's civil rights...
Museum and the Cemí Museum, both located in the same valley. Also, the Taíno
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
Tomb in the city's downtown has the remains of a Taíno Indian found in an excavation. Nearby, there's a monument to Chief Hayuya
Hayuya
Hayuya was the Taino Cacique who governed the area in Puerto Rico which now bears his name .-Arrival of the Conquistadors:...
, cacique
Cacique
Cacique is a title derived from the Taíno word for the pre-Columbian chiefs or leaders of tribes in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles...
of the region.
In the outskirts of the city, tourists can visit the Cerro de Punta
Cerro de Punta
Cerro de Punta or just Cerro Punta is the highest peak in Puerto Rico, raising to above sea level. It is located in the municipality of Ponce.-Location:...
, highest peak in the island of Puerto Rico, as well as the other mountains mentioned (Tres Picachos
Tres Picachos
Tres Picachos is one of the highest peaks in Puerto Rico at . It is located on the border between the municipalities of Ciales and Jayuya in the central part of the island, and is part of the Cordillera Central....
, for example). The Toro Negro State Forest
Toro Negro State Forest
Toro Negro State Forest is one of the 16 state forests in Puerto Rico. The forest is located in the central region of the island. The forest covers 6,945 cuerdas of mountains, with heights that include Cerro de Punta, the highest peak in the island...
can also be reached through the city.
Tourists can stay at several lodgings in the city. Two of the most known are Hacienda Gripiñas
Hacienda Gripiñas
Hacienda Gripiñas is a lodging located in the town of Jayuya, Puerto Rico.In 1863, Don Eusebio Pérez del Castillo established the Gripiñas hacienda in the sector of Gripiñas, barrio of Yeguitas, Jayuya. Gripiñas dedicated itself to the plantation of coffee and contributed to the growth of this...
and Hacienda Casa Tainahttp://www.jayuya.net/casataina/fotos.htm.
Festivals and events
There are several celebrations and festivals held at Jayuya throughout the year. Two of the most known are the Tomato Festival, held in February, and the Festival Indígena (Indian Festival) held in November.Agriculture
Jayuya's economy has always depended greatly on agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Products like coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
, and other vegetables are produced and distributed in the region. Livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
is another part of the city's economy.
Industry
In the middle of the 20th century, several manufacturing industries established in Jayuya, aiming to revitalize the economy as well as provide work for the residents. Some of the companies currently in the city are Baxter Healthcare and Abbott LaboratoriesAbbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories is an American-based global, diversified pharmaceuticals and health care products company. It has 90,000 employees and operates in over 130 countries. The company headquarters are in Abbott Park, North Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded by Chicago physician, Dr....
.
Education
As all other municipalities in the island, Jayuya is part of the Puerto Rico Department of Education. It has several elementary schools distributed throughout the city's wards. However, there's currently only one public high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Josefina León Zayas High School, located in the city's downtown.
The Metropolitan University, a private institution, has a campus in the municipality's downtown area.
Former mayors
- 1883 Julio Grau Battle - District Commissioner
- 1911-16 Rosario Canales
- 1916-20 Juan de Jesús López
- 1920-24 Ramón B. Marrero
- 1928 José Rivera Aponte (3 months)
- 1928-36 Jesús Dávila Rodríguez
- 1936-40 Vicente Santiago Reyes - Coalition Republican-Socialist
- 1940-44 Juan Oliver Frau PPD
- 1944 Mario Canales Torresola PPD (intern)
- 1944-48 Manuel Diversé PPD
- 1948-52 Ramón de Jesús Soto PPD
- 1952-68 Adrián Torres Torres PPD
- 1968-72 Rafael A. Ríos Delgado PNP
- 1972-76 José D. Castro González PPD
- 1976-84 Antonio Reyes Santiago PNP
- 1984-92 Venancio A. Tejedor León PPD
- 1992-96 José A. Rivera Rodríguez PNP
- 1996 - Jorge L. González Otero PPD
Additional information
- Cerro de PuntaCerro de PuntaCerro de Punta or just Cerro Punta is the highest peak in Puerto Rico, raising to above sea level. It is located in the municipality of Ponce.-Location:...
- July 11, 1883 - The first parish was established
- March 9, 1911 - Municipality was established
- Mayte Vega Torres - National Winner Walker, Athlete
Further reading
- Historia, imagen, y sentir de un pueblo: Jayuya - Aura Pierluissi de Rodríguez
- En busca de mis ángeles - Iris de Jesus
- Worker in the Cane - Sidney MintzSidney MintzSidney Wilfred Mintz is an anthropologist best known for his studies of Latin America and the Caribbean. Mintz studied at Brooklyn College earning his B.A in 1943. He got his doctoral degree from Columbia University under the supervision of Julian Steward and Ruth Benedict...
- Tiempos revueltos - Vionette G. Negretti