SANTA MARÍA HUATULCO. – With an archaeological and photographic exhibition of Santa María Huatulco and a cultural program, developed this Sunday, the start of activities for the 485th anniversary of the Town of Huatulco was inaugurated to be fulfilled this Monday, January 8, which will be celebrated with the traditional walk from the Cruz del Monte along the old road to the municipal seat of Santa María Huatulco.
The festivities began this Sunday with the archaeological and photographic exhibition, followed by a cultural program with the participation of the guitar trio of the house of culture and its traditional chilenas; in addition to the participation of schools, workshops and the projection of the documentary “Huatulco, biosphere reserve”.
Traditions are not lost in Santa María Huatulco; with joy, music, dance, culture and tradition, the town will celebrate the 485 years of its titling by the Spanish crown.
In the great traditional event, Huatulco women and men of all ages participate, who proudly enjoy the birth of their town.
The coordination of the municipal authority and the Historical Council of Santa María Huatulco is of utmost importance for the realization of various activities such as the traditional walk that begins at dawn on January 8, from the place called La Cruz del Monte (located on the old road), to the esplanade of the old market of the municipal seat, where the contingents will arrive around noon.
It is expected that, at the beginning, during and at the end of the walk, speeches related to the titling of the town of Huatulco.
With the various cultural and social activities to commemorate the 485 years of the titling of the coastal town, the residents and organizers will seek to demonstrate to their visitors and the new generations the cultural roots that Santa María Huatulco has.
The traditional walk begins at dawn on Monday at the Cruz del Monte de Santa María Huatulco at 6:00 in the morning, the contingent that participates in the walk will arrive at the Piedra de Moros community; at 9:00 in Hacienda Vieja where a community breakfast is held.
The contingent continues the march to reach the municipal seat of Santa María Huatulco where the reading of the titling of the Town of Huatulco is carried out.
At 12:00 noon, in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, a mass is held and, in the afternoon, the traditional calenda that leaves the Community Museum to the Foro del Pueblo.
In the Foro del Pueblo, various artistic participations are carried out and the celebrated and traditional Reading of the Titling Act of the Town of Huatulco; after that, the Guelaguetza begins and ends with a popular dance enlivened by Bertín and his Condesa, who alternate with the Samahua Group.
For Thursday, January 11, at 10:00 in the morning, “Market Day” begins at the Old Market; a Calenda is also held and the presentation of sones and chilenas on the esplanade of the municipal seat.
This is how, almost 500 years later, Huatulco has lived and built its own culture.
According to history, the name of Huatulco has the meaning of “place where the log is worshiped or revered”; in its time it was also known as Coatulco or Guatulco, which is composed of three voices: “quahuilt” which means log, “toloa” which means reverence (lowering the head) and the ending “co”.
The Cruz del Monte is a site that is also linked to the name of the town and the worship of the Cross that the Spaniards left more than a thousand 500 years ago and that was located near the Port of Huatulco, precisely in Bahía Santa Cruz; later it was moved to a hill where it was venerated.
Part of the history of Santa María Huatulco is also found in the ex-convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, in the Oaxacan capital, where there is a document that dates the date on which Huatulco was conquered by Hernán Cortés, on Monday, January 8, 1539.
Said document states that in the year 1579 the elders who still remained said that the one who conquered Huatulco was Pedro de Alvarado, also known as Tonatiuh.
However, in those years what we know today was only a neighborhood that the Spaniards for a long time called Puerto de Huatulco, to later give it the name of Santa María Huatulco.
Meanwhile, history also includes the event of the war of Independence in which General Vicente Guerrero was handed over in the year of 1831, which is why one of the beaches bears the name in reference to this act, La Entrega.
Source: Semanario Publimar
