Piribebuy
Encyclopedia
Districts of Paraguay
||The departments of Paraguay are divided into districts .-List of districts:List of districts of Paraguay, showing the population and the department. This district was created after the 2002 Census....
in the Cordillera Department
Cordillera Department
-History:During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries this area of the country was going through a serious crisis due to population bellicosity of the Indians from Chaco. The villagers from Tobatí located north of the river Pirapo then called, had to migrate south for the continue attacks by...
of Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. It is of spontaneous origin, though some attribute its founding to Martin Ledesma de Valderrama in 1636. Since its founding documents were burned during the War of the Triple Alliance
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
, 8 March, 1636, was later appointed as its Day of Establishment. Piribebuy is known for its Church "Dulce Nombre de Jesus", also known as "Ñandejará Guasu," and also has a small history museum dedicated to memorabilia from the War of Triple Alliance, explaining Piribebuy's large role in the war, as well as memorabilia from the Chaco War
Chaco War
The Chaco War was fought between Bolivia and Paraguay over control of the northern part of the Gran Chaco region of South America, which was incorrectly thought to be rich in oil. It is also referred to as La Guerra de la Sed in literary circles for being fought in the semi-arid Chaco...
and Colonial Times.
History
Formally known as Capilla Guasú, Piribebuy does not have a known foundation date, due to its possible spontaneous origin, and because the official documentation was destroyed in grand battle of August 12 1869. In early times used as a mail-post and spot to rest the horses, The FranciscanFranciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Gaspar de Medina constructed, in 1744, a church dedicated to Santo Cristo de los Milagros (Ñandejara Guasu in Guaraní
Guaraní language
Guaraní, specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guaraní , is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí–Guaraní subfamily of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay , where it is spoken by the majority of the population, and half of...
, and in English, Holy Jesus of the Miracles).
During the War of the Triple Alliance
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
the city served as the third capital of Paraguay starting December 8, 1868; August 12 of the following year, 1,600 poorly armed men, many of them mere children, spent 5 hours resisting the assault of 20,000 allied Brazilian, Argentine and Uruguayan forces intent on conquest, before finally being overwhelmed At the end of the battle, in which the Hospital de Sangre was burnt down, along with all the wounded inside, many prisoners were decapitated.
Etymology
In the Guarani language, Piribebuy, more correctly pirĩ vevuĩ, means either "smooth sensation" or "shivers." The name is thought to come from the fact that the area has many refreshing streams and cool breezes. Others suggest that the name comes from píri vevúi, which would mean light reeds or straws. This theory is supported by the Guaranis common use of botanical characters as place names. The Piribebuy River, which starts in Piribebuy, ends at the Paraguay River in a site that is full of reeds.Location
Piribebuy is located between Route II and Route I, 13 km from Route I on the branch route Rogelio R. Benítez, which intersects Route I at km 64.Subdivision
The town of Piribebuy is further divided into barrios (Boroughs) of Centro, Santa Ana, San Blas, Maria Auxilliadora and Virgen de Rosario.Besides the urban area, the district contains the following compañias (sub-municipalities): 4 de Julio, Cañada, Capilla Cué, Chololó, Colonia Piraretá, Cordillera, Guasú Rocái, Ita Guyrá, Itá Moroti, Itá Moroti Guasu, Itá Moroti'i, Itapé, Ita Ybú, Mcal. Estigarribia, Mcal. Lopéz, Naranjo, Ojopoi, Pasito, Paso Jhú, Presidente Franco, Tape Guasú, Yacarey, Yataity, Yhaca, Yhagui Guasú, Yhaguymi, Ykuá Porá, and Yruguá.
The spelling change stems from the oral Guarani name being transliterated into written Spanish.
Demography
According to the 2002 National Census this district has a total population of 19594 inhabitants, from this total population 9617 lives in the urban area, almost half of it.Economy
Tourism plays an important role in the economy of Piribebuy, as people come for the abundant nature that surrounds the city, its rich history, and its famous artisan crafts; most notably, the Poncho Para´í or Poncho de 60 listas (“Poncho of 60 stripes”), whose methods of fabrication are passed generation to generation.Transportation
The town of Piribebuy is 10 km away from the National Route N° 2, which connects Coronel OviedoCoronel Oviedo
Coronel Oviedo is a city in Paraguay. It is the capital of the Caaguazú Department, about 150 kilometers east of Asunción.The city has a population of about 52,400 and is the hometown of president Nicanor Duarte Frutos. Coronel Oviedo is an important transit point, as it lies halfway between...
with the country's capital
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
.
Patron Saints
Piribebuy has two patron saints. The first is Ñandejará Guasu, who is celebrated on January 18, and the second is Saint BlaiseSaint Blaise
Saint Blaise was a physician, and bishop of Sebastea . According to his Acta Sanctorum, he was martyred by being beaten, attacked with iron carding combs, and beheaded...
, who is celebrated on February 3.