San Luis Soyatlán Explained

San Luis Soyatlán
Settlement Type:Town
Nickname:San Luisito
Motto:"Pueblo de pescadores y vaqueros." "La tierra del Vampiro"
Pushpin Map:Mexico
Pushpin Label Position:above
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Mexico
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Mexico
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Jalisco
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Tuxcueca
Established Title2:Incorporated (town)
Area Total Km2:1.58
Population As Of:2020 census
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:3814
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:Central Standard Time
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:Central Daylight Time
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Coordinates:20.1976°N -103.3064°W
Postal Code Type:Postal Code
Postal Code:49440[2]
Area Code:376[3]

San Luis Soyatlán (pronounced as /es/) is a town located in the state of Jalisco in central-western Mexico, and is part of the municipality of Tuxcueca.[4] It is the most populous town of the municipality, where more than 60% of the population exists, and generating 70% of revenues.[5] [6] Sitting on the south shore of Lake Chapala, and about 45 minutes south from the city of Guadalajara.[7] [8] [9]

Its name derives from two languages, from Spanish; "San Luis" which refers to the patronage of the saint of the population; Saint Louis of Toulouse, and the other "Soyatlán" which is Nahuatl meaning "place of soyates" (the fiber of soyate is the primary material for Mexican mats and hats).[5] [10]

History

It is known that the municipality of Tuxcueca was inhabited before the Spanish conquest; San Luis Soyatlán was founded by nomadic Chichimeca tribes who settled on the side of the river Las Cerretas. Some years before the conquest this region was invaded and governed by the King of the Purépecha, Tangaxoan Tzíntzicha who took over the coveted saltpetre fields of Zacoalco and Sayula. By the end of the early 16th century this led to the Saltpetre War against the King of Colima.[11]

Since its establishment as an official town, it was formerly part of the municipality of Jocotepec. However, due to the intervention of General Ramón Corona, on April 20, 1886, the town of Tuxcueca stands itself as a municipality, during the tenure of Governor Francisco Tolentino, separating from the municipality of Tizapán el Alto. In 1888, October 1, San Luis Soyatlán was added to the municipality, separating from Jocotepec.[12]

Attractions

The locality of San Luis Soyatlán is the strongest of the municipality as far as the tourist sector goes. This locality is a very urban-like site, mostly due to having the highway (Mexican Federal Highway 15) crossing right through the middle of the town. Throughout this same route (labeled for local purposes as Avenue Alvaro Obregón) are different commercial premises, small super stores, restaurants, ice cream parlours, fruit shops, pharmacies, among other commerce.[12]

Town’s Center

Saint Louis of Toulouse Church. First as an adobe chapel in 1564 by the French Sebastian Vilches and Christopher Berlanga, it was completed on December 22, 1885 (without the tower).[5] [12] standing in front of a Square Atrium with religious statues, a forum, meeting rooms, restrooms and public parking. It is the main place for public events.[5]

The Plaza de Armas (main plaza), dates from the fifteenth century has undergone several renovations keeping its traditionally modern state.[5] Not popular as a commercial area during the day, at night and more commonly during weekends, it fills itself with street food posts. On the north side of the plaza is the Municipal Delegation (Mexican equivalent to a regional City Hall). Construction of a seventeenth-century style with arches, where municipal services are offered (police office, an ATM by bank Santander, land registry, and postal services).[5]

Capilla del Señor de la Salud (Small catholic chapel in devotion to the Lord of the Health) is located a few blocks from the main church of San Luis Soyatlán. This Christ is revered and is considered miraculous (among local Catholics), so it is important to include it in recommended sites to visit in the municipality.[5] [12]

Parks

Eden Ecological Park of over 40,000m2 located next to the lake's southern shore consisting of two docks, grills, playground, tables, walks, two streams, palm tree lined base, cypresses, grasses, shrubs, bathrooms, meeting areas, and a view of the northern shore.[5]

Rural Areas

Situated less than 5 km south of the population, located on a hill top of about 273 meters higher than the lake shore, is the Mirador y la Cruz (a viewpoint and cross). Where a big metal cross stands “overlooking” the north shore of the lake and the town itself, with a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe nearby.[5] [8] [12] [13]

El Salto (“The Jump”) waterfall over 30m (three stages) in height, it's visited mostly during the rainy season.[5]

Among the natural attractions of the surrounding landscapes include The Garcia Mountain, the highest mountain on the lake's shore, with almost 2,600m in height. Providing a high view of the entire lake, Sierra del Tigre, Huejotitán Valley, to the basin of Sayula and El Picacho.[12] It also has small caves at the summit where some vessels and ceramics have been found.[5]

The natural wealth available to the municipality is represented by 10,400 hectares of woodland, where mainly oak and pine species predominate.[12]

Festivities

Fiestas Patronales are festivities in honor to Saint Louis of Toulouse. These patron saint festivities are held from the 10 to the 19 of August, with pilgrimages around the town, morning masses with early morning mañanitas in devotion to the saint and during the evening; rides, fireworks, balloon posts, food stands, and serenades in the main plaza during the night. The festivities are held in August from the 11th to the 19th.

Like most common fiestas patronales in Mexico, each day is given a guild. Every guild is given a particular group of people to fund it, along with one of its four districts: San Juan District, San Miguel District, San Pedro District, or San Francisco District.[14] The guilds are as follows:

  1. Guild of the Youth, Masons, and Fishermen.[14]
  2. Guild of the Absent Children from Guadalajara.[14]
  3. Guild of the Town Council.[14]
  4. Guild of the Livestock Owners and Communal Lands (or Ejido) Holders.[14]
  5. Guild of the Absent Children from the United States. With a unique tradition done only in San Luis of a soccer game played between the people that live in the town year-round (team known as the "tilapias") and the people that come from the U.S. (team known as the "hamburgesas" or the "hamburgers")
  6. Guild of the Town in General (Usually on the 19th). On 19 August (official day of Saint Louis of Toulouse), the town invites the neighboring towns of San Nicolas de Acuña and La Puerta de San Nicolas to the fiesta, which is followed traditionally with a pilgrimage of those towns' people into San Luis.[14]
  7. Guild of the Commercialists.[14] With a tradition of a contracted instrumental band doing a certain number of songs in front of the small businesses of the town.
  8. Guild of the Professionals and Missionaries.[14]
  9. Individual Guild and Town in General (done only on the last day). The Individual guild is paid by one person or family.[14]

Every day (depending on the guild) is given a color. The people whose day their given, wear a sash of that color during the traditional pilgrimage done during each afternoon before mass. The current colors are as follows:

  1. White
  2. Royal Blue
  3. Sky Blue
  4. Green
  5. Red
  6. Tint
  7. Yellow
  8. Orange
  9. Purple

Enramadas (huts or hut season) are festivities held throughout the entire lent period. A time when huts, serving food and drinks, are placed at the town's lake riviera park.[15]

In popular culture

The town has been mentioned in 2 songs by major Mexican artists:

SongWritten byPerformed byOriginal album
"Don Arturo García"[16] [17] Chalino Sánchez"El Gallo de Sinaloa" (1995)[18]
"El corrido de José Reyes"[19] Leopoldo Macias[20] Banda El RecodoLa número uno... con puras rancheras (1988)

Schools

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.citypopulation.de/en/mexico/jalisco/tuxcueca/141070008/ Citypopulation.de
  2. Web site: Postal Codes for the municipality of Tuxcueca. estafeta.com . February 26, 2010.
  3. Web site: San Luis Soyatlan Jalisco :: como llamar. Como-Llamar.com . February 26, 2010.
  4. Web site: Encyclopedia of local governments of Mexico (Tuxcueca). gob.mx. February 26, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070517082909/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/jalisco/mpios/14107a.htm. May 17, 2007.
  5. Web site: Tuxcueca / Vive Mexico . February 26, 2010.
  6. Web site: HISTORIA DE SAN LUIS SOYATLÁN . November 14, 2012.
  7. Web site: Jalisco Mexico Map . February 28, 2010.
  8. Web site: Discovering San Luis Soyatlan's Spectacular Lookout. August 27, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110711132959/http://guadalajarareporter.com/news-mainmenu-82/regional-mainmenu-85/20037-discovering-san-luis-soyatlans-spectacular-lookout.html. July 11, 2011.
  9. Web site: LakeChapala.com . August 27, 2010.
  10. Web site: DESARROLLO Y CARACTERISTICAS . November 14, 2012.
  11. Web site: San Luis Soyatlán / Amigos del Lago. February 27, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081121200617/http://www.amigosdelago.org/around/slsoyatlan-e.htm. November 21, 2008.
  12. Web site: San Luis Soyatlán, en Tuxcueca, Jalisco:: El Informador. February 27, 2010.
  13. Web site: El Occidental . March 9, 2010.
  14. Web site: Fiestas Patronales 2010 : San Luis Soyatlan. SanLuisSoyatlán.com. September 15, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716003635/http://sanluissoyatlan.com/2010/08/04/fiestas-patronales-2010/. July 16, 2011.
  15. Web site: San Luis Soyatlán, Jalisco (Eventos). March 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070617041812/http://www.sanluissoyatlan.com.mx/eventos.html . June 17, 2007.
  16. Web site: Chalino Sanchez - Don Arturo García (Letra) - Musica.com .
  17. Web site: letra de don arturo garcía - chalino sánchez - letras.top .
  18. Web site: El Gallo de Sinaloa - Chalino Sánchez _ Songs, Reviews, Credits _ AllMusic .
  19. Web site: Letra de El Corrido De José Reyes - Banda El Recodo .
  20. Web site: Spotify – El Corrido de José Reyes - song by Banda El Recodo .
  21. Web site: Colegios y Escuelas en SAN LUIS SOYATLáN . February 27, 2010.