acoyapa
Acoyapa has historically been known for its vast cattle ranches and beautiful lakeside landscapes. It was the first capital of Chontales.
This municipality is known as "the branch of heaven" because a large part of its communities have the names of saints.
The municipality's economy is based primarily on livestock farming. Corn, beans, rice, and sorghum are also cultivated. In the coastal area, artisanal fishing is the main source of income for families, with a portion of the catch destined for the national market.
The municipality of Acoyapa is located in the southeast of the department of Chontales and is one of the three municipalities that have a coast on the Great Lake of Nicaragua or Cocibolca.
The main mountain peaks in the region are: Las Pavas, El Curco, Las Mangas, Las Ventanas, and El Arado. The plains or savannas, rich in natural pastures, that enclose the municipal area are: La Guayaba, El Acetunal, Guanacastal, San Agustín, and Santa Rosa.
The natural environment of Acoyapa is dotted with a beautiful variety of natural elements. The Nancital It is a paradisiacal archipelago made up of 27 islands of lush natural beauty. A large number of native and migratory birds nest on its islands. It was declared a Municipal Ecological Park in 2019.
The cave of Saint Elisa It is a fascinating site of geological interest. Also nearby are La Ventanas hill and the San Ignacio and La Carreta hot springs.
Along the coast of the Great Lake are backwaters of white sand such as Punta de Pato, Arena Island and Polanco.
The El Arado hill serves as a natural lookout point to contemplate the vastness of the lake depression.
On the edge of the wetland zone lies the imposing El Curco hill, from whose foothills originate beautiful river basins such as the Oyate River. Other important rivers in the area are the Ojocuapa and Acoyapa.
The hot springs of La Carreta and San Ignacio are remnants of an ancient volcanic past. In the case of San Ignacio, it's also worth mentioning its wetlands, which provide habitat for thousands of birds during their breeding season.
Culture
The pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Acoyapa are related to ancient peoples included in the Chontal denomination. Evidence of the disappeared cultures of the municipality is located in the form of sites with mounds, engraved stones and material remains such as ceramic objects, lithic instruments and some stone sculptures.
El Nancital Archipelago
Dávila Bolaños He interprets the word Acoyapa as follows: Acoya – apa: acoyo, acoyotl, “tears of Saint Peter”; apa; river “river of the acoyos”. The same scholar would have interpreted in 1959: Atl: Water; Coyametl: sahino; Pan: place. “River where there are peccaries”.
Alfonso Valley: Acoyauh, see from above; bread, place; that is, “in the watchtower”. Urcuyo also makes the same interpretation.
It is suggested that in the Ulúa language it can be interpreted as: aicu: moon and apa: stone, «Moonstone».
The town of Acoyapa was founded near a population of native inhabitants, in the mid-17th century by a group of Spaniards and indigenous people who were fleeing from the ephemeral town of Nueva Jaén, located at the confluence of Lake Cocibolca and the San Juan River.
This population rivals Comalapa in the declaration of the oldest of Chontales.
With the changes of the commercial routes, Acoyapa and Juigalpa alternated the title of departmental head, between 1858 and 1877, until it was definitively in Juigalpa.
Acoyapa was also an important point on the access route to the mining towns of La Libertad and Santo Domingo, because here the travelers who disembarked at the historic port of San Ubaldo and the carts loaded with gold that was shipped in the same port passed. .
Bull riding
In the mid-XNUMXth century, Acoyapa was known as "the landowner's capital" for its vast and opulent cattle ranches.
Religious and traditional festivities are always accompanied by the animation of chichero or philharmonic music. Bullfighting evenings are recurrent in these celebrations.
The philharmonic or chichero bands of Acoyapa are of recognized national popularity.
The ancestral history of Acoyapa can be seen in the ruins of Lovigüisca, an ancient indigenous settlement that existed before the arrival of the Spanish to these lands.
In the islands of The Nancital There are indigenous engravings that demonstrate the ceremonial use of these places formerly called Mayali.
The ruins of the former port of San Ubaldo are located in the coastal area.
Leather artisans enjoy widespread popularity in the area. Their products are of excellent quality and include the sought-after pack saddles for farm work, as well as saddles, boots, belts, chaps, and gaiters.
Architecture
The parish church of San SebastiánBuilt in the colonial style, this is the oldest building in the town and one of the most recognized structures in Chontales. Its walls are made of thick adobe bricks, over a meter thick. It houses some of the religious images that were brought from Barcelona. This church was declared a National Cultural Heritage Site in 1950.
Interior of the Church
House of Emiliano Chamorro: This is the birthplace of Emiliano Chamorro Vargas (1871-1966), politician, military officer, and president of Nicaragua. His original home no longer exists; a plaque on the current building indicates that this historical figure was born there.
Monument to Manuel de Jesus Reyes Rodriguez. It is a bust along with a biographical plaque in honor of a mayor of Acoyapa from the 70s; under his administration, electric light was introduced.
Indigenous sculptures. Placed in 2010, they consist of two indigenous figures in stone located in front of the municipal library.
The Calvary Church It is a Catholic temple whose construction dates back to the 50s of the last century. It is located within walking distance of Central Park.
Religious Festivals
The patron saint festivities are in honor of Saint Sebastian and are celebrated from January 6 to 24. They begin with the entrance of the reeds and the poster; in this activity, the floats of the candidates for queen of the festivities parade, the mounted ones, accompanied by the population on foot and on bicycles.
On January 10th, the image of Saint Sebastian is taken down from its throne, to be handed over to the religious committee, and then it proceeds to visit the different neighborhoods.
Thousands of pilgrims from across Chontales participate in one of the region's most popular pilgrimages. A vigil, Christian concerts, and Mass are held at night. The following day, a solemn Mass and procession take place.
Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated in October and the festive program includes religious, cultural and bullfighting activities.
Gastronomy
Baked noodles are the traditional dish of the municipality. Dairy products and roasted meats are also part of the popular menu, along with blood sausage and stuffed tripe.
Rice pudding, atole, manjar, and requesón are sweets that complement the daily diet of the people of Acoyapa. A wide variety of tropical fruits allows for the availability of natural drinks.
Acoyapa doughnuts are in high demand at the departmental level.
