San Francisco El Alto

San Francisco El Alto is a municipality in the Totonicapán department of Guatemala.

The municipality includes the villages or "aldeas" of: Chivarreto, Chirrenox, Pabatoc, Paxixil, Rancho de Teja, Pachaj, Sacmixit, San Antonio Sija, Saquicol Chiquito, and Tacajalbé. The municipality also has the Sacmixit communal forest.

History

Before the Spanish Conquest, Chusiguán was a K'iche' language Mayan community at the site of San Francisco El Alto. Chusiguán is K'iche' for "on the precipice," apt for its location at the top of a steep hill. [http://www.inforpressca.com/sanfranciscoelalto/historia.php]

Historical chronicler Francisco Antonio de Fuentes y Guzmán mentions the town in his 1689 "Recordación Florida". This record confirms the town's pre-Columbian origins. He noted 2,880 Mayan inhabitants and 720 "tributarios."

Residents of San Francisco El Alto joined the revolt against excessive tributes that began on 1820-02-20 in Santa María Chiquimula.

External links

* [http://www.inforpressca.com/sanfranciscoelalto/ Municipal web page] es icon
* [http://www.totoenlinea.com/nosotros/toto/san_francisco.htm Toto en linea page] es icon