Jalapa in Matagalpa language means “Place where the river is sandy”; also in nahuatl, has the same interpretation “sandy place” o “Sandy water place”. It is said that Jalapa was a large prehistoric lake, so the meaning of Jalapa is related to the abundance of sand in the streets of the town.
The first settlement of this municipality is located in pre-Hispanic times, there is evidence of the existence of ethnic groups of Ulúa-Matagalpa descent in ceramic and lithic artifacts that have been found in the territory, as well as in the local toponyms that are still preserved.
The chronicler bishop Fray Pedro Agustín Morel de Santa Cruz speaks of the existence of a town in this territory in 1752. In 1891, it was named a town and in 1971 it was elevated to a municipality.
It is a municipality characterized by the production of quality corn and tobacco, which is why it was positioned as the breadbasket of Central America due to its productive surpluses.
In 1984 the first National Corn Fair and today it is one of the largest and busiest festivals in the municipality. It is said that jalapa still preserves the ancestral creole seed of tobacco, which dates from pre-Hispanic times.
Artistic expressions and manifestations
In Jalapa there are 42 music groups, identified and registered, which from the 70s to the present have been sold, organized and consolidated
The Gaspares
The Gaspars. This group with 38 years of musical life, founded in 1978, is made up of five members and they play guitar, accordion, violin, guitarrón, electric bass and bongo. They have been deserving of awards and recognition for their music career, at the local, regional and national level. Among their repertoire they have unpublished music and they also perform national and international music. They have performed in Cuba, Europe and the United States with their regional music of polkas, mazurkas and zapateados.
Segovian Goldfinch Group. Established in the 80s. The members are second generation. They have also been deserving of receptions and awards at the local, regional and national levels. They play guitar, guitarrón, electric bass, violin and requinto. They are from the El Escambray community.
The Prado Environmentalist Group. Originating from the community of Aranjuez, participate in local events, also at a regional and national level. Founded in 1985, they play guitarrón, guitar, and requinto.
Montiel Brothers Group. Established in 1980, recognized and awarded with prizes and recognitions. With its own repertoire and interpretation of regional, national and international music. They make presentations at the local, regional and national level. They are from the Las Uvas community.
Los Manantiales Group
Spring Group. It emerged in the 90s. Its five members play guitarrón, guitar, requinto and accordion. They have their own repertoire and interpretation of regional, national and international music and have performed at the Rubén Darío National Theater.
Los Alegres Group of Jalapa. Made up of the father and four children, it was founded in 1990. They are very popular in the municipality. They play guitar and dulzaina. They participate in the cultural events of the municipality and social events. Winners of local and regional contests. They live in the city of Jalapa.
Latin Zone Group. Electronic group, they are very popular in the municipality and in the region. There are seven members and they play percussion, piano, drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and requinto. Formed in 1990. They are originally from the city of Jalapa.
Los Cheles de Solonlí Group. Founded in 1995; It also has its own repertoire and performs regional, national and international music. They play accordion, guitar, guitarrón and requinto. They have received several awards and recognitions.
Los Alegres Group of Monterrey. made up of relatives, the father and three children. They perform their own music and regional, national and international music. They play guitarrón, guitar, requinto.
The Torrez Brothers Group. It is a family group, it is made up of eight members of the family, the pope and seven children. They are from the El Carbón community. They have stood out at the Corn Fair. Among its members there are teachers and a priest.
The Rancher of the North. A well-known soloist in the municipality, he plays the guitar and has also been awarded prizes and awards. He lives in Jalapa.
Dance groups also stand out the kids and groups like Northern Force, Alpine and Municipal School of Music.
Painters. There are six outstanding painters in the municipality, who have participated in collective exhibitions, José L. Gutiérrez G., Oscar Lira, Emilio Rodríguez, Walter García, Maximino Landero, Ramón Alcides, Eddy Acuña, Michael Enríquez, Danelia Portillo, Leyder Francisco Gutiérrez and Lawrence Amador. His best-known murals are those of the Library and the House of Culture of Jalapa, they have also painted murals in Managua and other places in the country.
Sculptors. There are several renowned sculptors in the municipality, including the sculptor, writer and poet Armengol Acuña Rodríguez, owner of the El Soberano Sculpture Workshop, where you can find him and participate in the creation process. It is located in the Tauquil community. He works exclusively with the roots of centuries-old trees, recycling and reinterpreting still life; bringing it to life with extraordinary sculptures.
Peasant music festival
Roots Art Workshop. They are three young sculptors and artisans who work individually with dry tree roots and bring life to still life and reuse dry wood to make works of art of great artistic quality. They have participated in group exhibitions at the Casa de Cultura. They live in the community of Chuslí and Tauquil. The works are exhibited and sold at the Casa de Cultura.
Art and Decoration Workshop. Property of Daniella Portillo, who works with recycled materials.
Poet
Armengol Acuña Rodríguez, poet, writer, sculptor and archeology enthusiast. He has participated in local, regional and national events. He participates in international poetry meetings in Granada. Likewise, Marcos Ramírez, Professor Nora Rugama, Mirna Río Bellorín, Juan Ramón González, poet and craftsman, Jairo Maradiaga and Otender Altamirano, poet, painter and musician.
Craft trades
Midwives. In some communities there are women who care for women in labor, especially those in rural areas.
Healers. They are specialists in the knowledge of the practices and knowledge of traditional herbal medicine, practices inherited from the ancestors that are still preserved.
The artisans, who continue to carry out the work of clay pottery, a practice since ancient times.
Blacksmith workshops, of great tradition in this municipality, where horseshoes and irons are made.
Shoe workshops. The workshop of Don Justino Aguirre, known as Tino, stands out. The municipality also has saddlery workshops.
The bakers and bakers, who still continue to make bread in an artisanal and traditional way
tobacco workers. This is one of the largest sources of work in the Las Segovias region, where high-quality cigars are grown and made.
In the town, Don Ignacio Aguirre stands out, who works with rubber and is dedicated to recycling.
Legends
Among the legends of the municipality are the legend of the Tastaslí community and the legend of Diego Izquierdo.
Local figures who have contributed to the history and culture of the town
Ruben Sanabria. Teacher of generations, historian of the town, who has dedicated his entire life to reconstructing the history of the municipality of Jalapa, recognized, respected and loved by the inhabitants.
Jaime Borges. Outstanding athlete, musician, co-founder of the Romantic Music Festival that takes place annually in the municipality.
Lawrence Perez. A whole life dedicated to the theater, he descends from a family of artists. He is an expert in altar decoration. He is highly recognized and respected by the people.
Other sites of historical and cultural interest
The Indian Stone. It is a rock art site, a large spherical rock with petroglyphs. It is located in the community of Pasmata. It measures 4.60 meters long by 5 meters high. It is presumed that it was a sacred and worship site for the indigenous people.
Temple of the Golden Spikes. They are ancient ruins, from the colonial era. It is located in the community of Teotecacinte, located in the current cemetery. It is believed to have been built in 1654 or 1655.
The Horns. Ruins of the old gold mine. The local people refer to them as the holes, as they are the entrance to the mine tunnels. During the first stage of the Revolution, this place was used as a camp for the defense of our revolutionary process.
Cigar Workshop The Best Taste of Jalapa. Artisan production of quality cigars with many years of experience, where you can observe and learn from the manufacturing process of this pure jalapeño.
Crafts
Pottery
Artisan Women's Collectives of Jalapa. Made up of 12 women, established in 1990. These artisans live in different communities such as La Limonera, Santa Rosa and El Trapiche. Its coordinator is Nora Centeno. They are dedicated to the elaboration of utilitarian and decorative products from the pine leaf (needles), and they make tablecloths, tortilla wraps, bread baskets, napkin holders, baskets, hats, caps and decorative objects for the houses.
Also in the group there are potters who work with utilitarian crafts such as comales, jars, pots, alconcillas, figures of domestic animals in containers to store grains, liquids and other products for domestic use.
Craftsman Antonio Ponce. Work the wood. Their handicrafts are a representation of the local and domestic fauna such as chompipes, and guinea fowl, among others; They are high quality work and are highly desired by locals and tourists. He has participated in exhibitions at the Casa de Cultura.
Craft workshops and pine jewelry. Cruz Olivas Creations, The Guardian Angel, Elegance to your liking, Martínez Jewellery, Rye Handicrafts and Jewellery, Salleth Designs and Ecological Jewellery.
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