AWF Magazine - December 2023.pdf

This region was inhabited as early as the seventh century by the Totonaca people that lasted there until 10th century coexisting with the Nahua, Otomi and Tepehua communities. During the Mexican Conquest period Hernán Cortés, the Spanish Conquistador granted permission to Chichimeca Chief Chichimecuatehuipil to settle in, starting a town called Tetehuitic (Mount of pyramids) a cult center around god Mixcoatl, Mexica god of storms, war and hunting, this didn’t last much, since a little after 1527 Franciscan missionaries arrived in the place and established an evangelization center by the name of Santiago Chiquinahuitle (Nine eyes of water). In 1874 it was renamed as Villa de Chignahuapan. Chignahuapan was deemed a “Pueblo Mágico” and has legends and traditions that root deeply into the beliefs of its people. Franciscan Friar, Bernardino de Sahagún (1499-1590) spoke about a hell river named Chiconahuapan and archaeologist Alfonso Caso (1896-1970) relayed one of the tests to go into the underworld was to cross with a Xoloitzcuintle dog the Chiconohuapan river. The economy of Chignahuapan is based mainly in agriculture but is also supported by raising cattle, pigs, goats, poultry, carps, crabs, and trout. Nevertheless, the most outstanding industry in Chignahuapan is the creation of ornaments, mainly Christmas related, made of blown glass, housing more than two hundred workshops where more than seventy million units are created yearly, boasting the fame of this municipality to a nationwide range. This industry has become a tourist attraction, adding even more to this already interesting spot.