Santa Catarina Pinula

Santa Catarina Pinula is a town, with a population of 70,982 (2018 census)[3] and a municipality in the Guatemala Department of Guatemala. Its name, according to Guatemalan colonial historian Francisco Antonio de Fuentes y Guzmán in his book Recordación Florida comes from:

  • Santa Catarina: the name of it saint patron Catherine of Alexandria
  • Pinula: from pipil "Flour of water" ("Pinul": Flour of Pinole and "Ha": Water).[4] This may come from the Mexican natives who came alongside Alvarado's forces.[5]
Santa Catarina Pinula
municipality
Flag
CountryGuatemala
DepartmentGuatemala
MunicipalitySanta Catarina Pinula
Government
 • Mayor (2012-2020)Víctor Alvarizaes Monterroso[1] (PP)
Area
 • Total49.3 km2 (19.0 sq mi)
Elevation
1,640 m (5,380 ft)
Population
 (2018 census)[2]
 • Total80,582
 • Density1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
Time zoneGMT -6
ClimateCwb
WebsiteMunicipalidad de Santa Catarina Pinula

History

The town was originally a native settlement called Pankaj, or Pinola, whose inhabitants presented a strong defense to the conquistadors from Pedro de Alvarado, until they had to finally surrender to the Spanish invaders at the fortified position of Jalpatagua, where they were withdrawn along with the Petapa natives.[6]

Spanish colony
See also: Order of Preachers

After the Spanish conquest, a town was founded in place of the old native settlement. It soon became one of the most notable settlements in the area, eventually serving as a curato headquarters for the Order of Preachers, which in turn was under the jurisdiction of the Amatitlán convent.[4]

Order of Preachers doctrines and curatos in the Capitanía General of Guatemala in 1638
Convento Doctrinas Convento Doctrinas
Guatemala Amatitlán
Verapaz
Sonsonate
  • Nahuizalco
  • Tacuxcalco[7]
San Salvador
  • Apastepeque
  • Chontales
  • Cojutepeque
  • Cuscatlán
  • Milpas Bajas
  • Tonacatepeque
 Sacapulas

In 1690, when Fuentes y Guzmán wrote Recordación Florida the town was prosperous and its agriculture was booming, but it was not as well to do if its silver mines had been exploited.[4] Fuentes y Guzmán told the story that, when the church was being built, the workers found a thick silver lining, but they rushed to hide it from the Spaniards, so the latter could not use it.[4]

In 1754, due to a Royal Decree, all the doctrines and curatos still belonging to regular orders were transferred to the secular clergy authorities.[8]

El Cambray II tragedy: 2015
Main article: 2015 El Cambray Dos landslide

On the night of 1 October 2015 and following several days of heavy rains, a hill collapsed causing a mudslide that destroyed El Cambray II settlement, leaving behind hundreds of missing people, according to the first official reports. Besides, there were nine confirmed deaths, 34 injured and up to 65 displaced on more than 100 destroyed homes.[9] After the landslide, the area was in Code Red.[9]

Administrative organization
Santa Catarina Pinula as seen from the Inter American Highway.

The region has a municipal capital (Santa Catarina Pinula), fifteen villages and seven settlements.

Santa Catarina Pinula administrative division[10]
Division Name
Villages Cuchilla del Carmen
El Carmen
Salvadora I
Salvadora II
El Pueblito
Nueva Concepción
Puerta Parada
Piedra Parada Cristo Rey
Piedra Parada El Rosario
San José El Manzano
Laguna Bermeja
El Pajón
Manzano La Libertad
Don Justo
Canchón
Subdivisión Nombre
Settlements Trapichito
Pepe Nance
Cambray I[9]
Cambray II[9]
El Zarzal
Los Cipreses
Laguneta

Climate

Santa Catarina Pinula has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cwb).

Climate data for Santa Catarina Pinula
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 23.5
(74.3)		 24.7
(76.5)		 26.1
(79.0)		 26.7
(80.1)		 26.2
(79.2)		 24.4
(75.9)		 24.4
(75.9)		 24.8
(76.6)		 24.2
(75.6)		 23.6
(74.5)		 23.2
(73.8)		 23.2
(73.8)		 24.6
(76.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 17.7
(63.9)		 18.5
(65.3)		 19.6
(67.3)		 20.5
(68.9)		 20.6
(69.1)		 19.9
(67.8)		 19.8
(67.6)		 19.9
(67.8)		 19.6
(67.3)		 19.1
(66.4)		 18.3
(64.9)		 17.8
(64.0)		 19.3
(66.7)
Average low °C (°F) 12.0
(53.6)		 12.3
(54.1)		 13.2
(55.8)		 14.3
(57.7)		 15.1
(59.2)		 15.5
(59.9)		 15.3
(59.5)		 15.1
(59.2)		 15.1
(59.2)		 14.7
(58.5)		 13.4
(56.1)		 12.4
(54.3)		 14.0
(57.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 3
(0.1)		 2
(0.1)		 6
(0.2)		 27
(1.1)		 155
(6.1)		 270
(10.6)		 234
(9.2)		 186
(7.3)		 249
(9.8)		 157
(6.2)		 30
(1.2)		 7
(0.3)		 1,326
(52.2)
Source: Climate-Data.org[11]

Sport

Guatemalan Olympic swimmer Kevin Avila Soto was born here.

Geographic location

Santa Catarina Pinula is completely surrounded by Guatemala Department municipalities:[10]

See also

Notes and references

References
  1. "Alcaldes de la zona metropolitana empiezan a definirse". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Guatemala. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Citypopulation.de Population of departments and municipalities in Guatemala
  3. Citypopulation.de Population of cities & town in Guatemala
  4. Fuentes y Guzmán 1883, p. 270.
  5. Fuentes y Guzmán 1882, pp. 7 a 9, 11 y 52.
  6. Fuentes y Guzmán 1883, p. 217, 270.
  7. Belaubre 2001, p. 39.
  8. Juarros 1818, p. 338.
  9. "Conred: 600 desaparecidos, nueve muertos, 34 heridos y 65 refugiados por tragedia en el Cambray II". ElPeriódico (in Spanish). Guatemala. 2 October 2015. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  10. "Municipios del departamento de Guatemala". SEGEPLAN (in Spanish). Guatemala. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  11. "Climate: Santa Catarina Pinula". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 21 September 2015.

Bibliography

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