Place in Michoacan, Mexico
Sahuayo
(
Nahuatl
:
Tzacu?tlayotl
) is a city in the
state
of
Michoacan
, in western
Mexico
, near the southern shore of
Lake Chapala
. It serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. Sahuayo is an important center for
industry
and is the center of commerce for the Chapala lake region, specializing in crafts, sandals (
huaraches
), and hats (
sombreros
), which are made by Sahuayenses. It is home to the
largest huarache in the world
measuring 7.45 meters long and 3.09 meters wide. The name means "turtle shaped pot". it has been called the Athens of Michoacan because of the number of important poets, writers, and painters residing there. It is currently the seat of the Arts Propositions Association. In 2005, the census population was 59,316, with the municipality being 61,965. The size of the municipality is 128.05 km² (49.44 sq mi).
The celebration for
El Patron Santiago
or
Saint James the Great
is held every 25 July. During these celebrations, individuals craft beautiful masks, throw a festival with music and dancing, and depict the battles between the Spanish and the indigenous peoples. The dancers'
Tlahualiles
(wearers of the masks and traditional garments)
are internationally recognized. The sister city of Sahuayo is
Lancaster
,
California
,
United States
. It is one of the 3 Californian cities where residents from Sahuayo moved to in the 2000s. The city of
Santa Ana, California
is known as
Little Sahuayo
because of the high number of residents who hail from Sahuayo. Another community is
Indio, California
where a large number of residents from Sahuayo moved to.
[
citation needed
]
Geography
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Location
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Panorama of Sahuayo
Sahuayo is located to the northwest of the State, at the coordinates 20º03' north latitude and 102º44' west longitude, 1,530 meters above sea level. To the north of the Sahuayo border one finds
Venustiano Carranza Michoacan
(also known as San Pedro), to the east
Villamar
, to the south
Jiquilpan
, and
Cojumatlan de Regules
to the northwest. Its distance to the State Capital,
Morelia
.
Etymology
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The name Sahuayo comes from the
Nahuatl
language and is interpreted in many ways. According to Dr. "Don"
Antonio Penafiel
, the word is made up of two elements: tzacu?tl and ayotl, where tzacu?tl (pot) is a vase formed by one half of a coconut and "ayotl," which translates into "turtle"; hence
vessel turtle
or vessel that has the aspect of a turtle.
Seal
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Seal of Sahuayo
On the seal of Sahuayo, there is a turtle on the stone in the first field, which represents the foundation of Sahuayo in 1530. In the background are three hills, which symbolize the three towns that gave origin to Sahuayo, in the second half of the 16th century. These hills can also be considered to represent the three governments: federal, state, and municipal. In the third field, a plumed serpent or
Quetzalcoatl
god fights with the cross, symbolizing the conquest of Sahuayo by
Nuno Beltran de Guzman
. In the fourth field of the municipal shield is a tree and a star. “Patria, Justicia y Progreso” (Nation, Justice, and Progress) are written in the contour of the shield.
Cuisine
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Sahuayo is famous for its typical food such as
carnitas
, dry
birria
, and
tacos al pastor
. The traditional breads of Sahuayo, like
tranca
and the
cemita
, usually are usually accompanied by milk,
atole
, or any other hot drink.
[
citation needed
]
Notable people
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References
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External links
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Government pages
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City information
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20°03′N
102°44′W
/
20.050°N 102.733°W
/
20.050; -102.733