Zumpahuacán
Encyclopedia
Zumpahuacán is a town and municipality in México State. The name “Zumpahuacán” comes from the Nahuatl
language "Tzompahuacán". Tzompahuacán means "place of the strawberry tree" (Erythrina americana or árbol de colorín in Spanish
. Another translation of the Nahuatl name can mean "place of the skills of the sacrificed".
and later, with cultures of the high central plains of Mexico. The original village was founded in what is now called Pueblo Viejo ("old village") or San Juan Viejo in Spanish and Quilocán ("place of edible herbs")in a flat area surrounded by rocky cliffs and near the Temozolapa River, seven km from the modern village. It is believed that this settlement was founded by the Mexica
s or Chichimeca
s, who were joined by Matlazincas around 1300 to 1400 AD. The area was conquered and incorporated into the Aztec Empire under the rule of Axayacatl
between 1464 and 1467.
The modern town was founded in 1550 when the village of Quilocán was moved to this location and renamed "San Juan Viejo" in order to evangelize the population under the rule of Alonso de la Serna. In 1565, the parish church was constructed under the supervision of Pedro Ponce de León, who may have been the grandson of Cuatlatlapatzin of Tlaxcala. The name was changed to Zumpahuacán in 1689, when authorities bowed to public pressure after a large redistribution of lands in the area. The town suffered an epidemic of smallpox
in 1841 and cholera
in 1850, the latter almost wiping out the entire population of the town. The town belonged to the municipality of Malinalco
until 1861, when it became part of Tenancingo
. It separated into its own municipality in 1875, with Lucio Manuel Peña as the first municipal president.
On February 2, 1894, Felipe Castañeda G. was executed by firing squad in the town. Though not famous for his acts, he was responsible for the "Proclamation of Zumpahuacán", which was a precursor to the Mexican Revolution
. This document was one of the first to disavow the government of Porfirio Díaz
, with the town later siding with the Liberation Army of the South
.
As of the 2005 INEGI census, the town had a population of 4,232 people.
The original town of Quilocán lies 7 km from the municipal seat and remains an unexplored archeological site, although it has been subject to some looting in recent years.
Zumpahuacán lies on a volcanic axis and has a large number of mountains, valleys, hills and depressions. Three of the most notable elevations are: Totsquilla at 2,800 meters above sea level, Santiago or San Miguel at 2,780 meters and Tlalchichilpa at 2,100 meters. Most of these elevations are due the region's past volcanic activity. It is also part of the Balsas River watershed, which contains a number of natural freshwater springs and seasonally flowing ravines.
Over 80% of the municipality's economic activity is based on agriculture.
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
language "Tzompahuacán". Tzompahuacán means "place of the strawberry tree" (Erythrina americana or árbol de colorín in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. Another translation of the Nahuatl name can mean "place of the skills of the sacrificed".
The town
Archeological, anthropological and linguistic studies date human habitation in the area to at least 8000 B.C. with the peoples here having cultural and linguistic links to cultures in what is now the state of OaxacaOaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
and later, with cultures of the high central plains of Mexico. The original village was founded in what is now called Pueblo Viejo ("old village") or San Juan Viejo in Spanish and Quilocán ("place of edible herbs")in a flat area surrounded by rocky cliffs and near the Temozolapa River, seven km from the modern village. It is believed that this settlement was founded by the Mexica
Mexica
The Mexica were a pre-Columbian people of central Mexico.Mexica may also refer to:*Mexica , a board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling*Mexica , a 2005 novel by Norman Spinrad...
s or Chichimeca
Chichimeca
Chichimeca was the name that the Nahua peoples of Mexico generically applied to a wide range of semi-nomadic peoples who inhabited the north of modern-day Mexico and southwestern United States, and carried the same sense as the European term "barbarian"...
s, who were joined by Matlazincas around 1300 to 1400 AD. The area was conquered and incorporated into the Aztec Empire under the rule of Axayacatl
Axayacatl
Axayacatl was the sixth Aztec Emperor, a ruler of the Postclassic Mesoamerican Aztec Empire and city of Tenochtitlan, who reigned from 1469 to 1481.He is chiefly remembered for subjugating Tlatelolco, Tenochtitlan's sister city, in 1473....
between 1464 and 1467.
The modern town was founded in 1550 when the village of Quilocán was moved to this location and renamed "San Juan Viejo" in order to evangelize the population under the rule of Alonso de la Serna. In 1565, the parish church was constructed under the supervision of Pedro Ponce de León, who may have been the grandson of Cuatlatlapatzin of Tlaxcala. The name was changed to Zumpahuacán in 1689, when authorities bowed to public pressure after a large redistribution of lands in the area. The town suffered an epidemic of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in 1841 and cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
in 1850, the latter almost wiping out the entire population of the town. The town belonged to the municipality of Malinalco
Malinalco
Malinalco is a town and municipality located 65 kilometers south of the city of Toluca in the south of the western portion of the Mexico State. Malinalco is 115 km southwest Mexico City....
until 1861, when it became part of Tenancingo
Tenancingo
Tenancingo may refer to:* Tenancingo, Mexico State* Tenancingo, Tlaxcala...
. It separated into its own municipality in 1875, with Lucio Manuel Peña as the first municipal president.
On February 2, 1894, Felipe Castañeda G. was executed by firing squad in the town. Though not famous for his acts, he was responsible for the "Proclamation of Zumpahuacán", which was a precursor to the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
. This document was one of the first to disavow the government of Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
, with the town later siding with the Liberation Army of the South
Liberation Army of the South
The Liberation Army of the South was an armed group formed and led by Emiliano Zapata that took part in the Mexican Revolution. The force was commonly known as the Zapatistas....
.
As of the 2005 INEGI census, the town had a population of 4,232 people.
The municipality
As municical seat, the town of Zumpahuacán is the government of the following surrounding communities: Ahuacatlán (Guadalupe Ahuacatlán), Ahuatzingo, Tlapizalco (Guadalupe Tlapizalco), Colonia Guadalupe Victoria, San Antonio Guadalupe (San Antonio), San Gaspar, San Pablo Tejalpa, Santa Cruz Atempa, Santa Cruz los Pilares (La Loma), El Tamarindo, San Pedro Guadalupe(Despoblado), Santa María la Asunción, El Zapote, Colonia San Nicolás Palo Dulce (Palo Dulce), Santa Ana Despoblado, Santa Catarina (Santa Catarina de la Cruz), Santiaguito, San José Tecontla, La Ascensión, San Juan, Paraje San Gabriel (San Miguel), Amolonca, Guadalupe Chiltamalco, Llano del Copal (La Muñeca), San Miguel Ateopa, La Cabecera, Barrio de Santa Ana, San Mateo Despoblado, and Chiapa San Isidro. The total population of the municipality was 16,149 people as of 2005. The municipality has a total area of 201.54 km2.The original town of Quilocán lies 7 km from the municipal seat and remains an unexplored archeological site, although it has been subject to some looting in recent years.
Zumpahuacán lies on a volcanic axis and has a large number of mountains, valleys, hills and depressions. Three of the most notable elevations are: Totsquilla at 2,800 meters above sea level, Santiago or San Miguel at 2,780 meters and Tlalchichilpa at 2,100 meters. Most of these elevations are due the region's past volcanic activity. It is also part of the Balsas River watershed, which contains a number of natural freshwater springs and seasonally flowing ravines.
Over 80% of the municipality's economic activity is based on agriculture.