Yanga, Veracruz
Yanga | |
|---|---|
Municipalityand town | |
  Yanga Location in Mexico | |
| Coordinates:18°50′N96°48′W/ 18.833°N 96.800°W | |
| Country |  Mexico |
| State | Veracruz |
| Area | |
| • Total | 102.82 km2(39.70 sq mi) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 15,547 |
| Time zone | UTC-6(Central Standard Time) |
Yangais amunicipalitylocated in the southern area of theMexican stateofVeracruz,about 80 km from the state capital ofXalapa.It was formerly known as San Lorenzo de los Negros (after a colony ofcimarronsin the early 17th century) or San Lorenzo de Cerralvo (after a 17th-century Spanish colonial priest). In 1932 it was renamed afterGaspar Yanga,thecimarronleader who in 1609 resisted attack by Spanish forces trying to regain control of the area.
History
[edit]Gaspar Yangawas anPunuchief in present-dayGaboninCentral Africabefore being sold into slavery and sent toMexico.As early as Yangah reportedly arrived in Mexico - before 1570 - it is very likely that he shipped by way of theElmina Castle,the first ever European slave-trading post established on the west coast of Africa (1482). After leading an escape by a band of slaves in 1570, Yanga and his group settled in the highlands. They fought off Spanish forces in 1609, with further bloody skirmishes over nearly a decade.
In 1618 he finally negotiated with Spanish officials to grant freedom to the fugitive slaves and independence to their village, a few kilometers from the city ofCordoba, Veracruz.It became known as San Lorenzo de los Negros (named after the cimmarons) or San Lorenzo de Cerralvo (named after Juan Laurencio, aJesuitcleric who had accompanied the 1609 expedition sent by the Viceroy). They gave the town of San Lorenzo its "small independence".[1]
The black inhabitants of San Lorenzo proclaimed their loyalty to theCatholic Churchand the King of Spain, but refused to pay tribute to the Spanish government.
Geography
[edit]The municipality ofYangais bordered to the east byCuitláhuac,to the north-east byAtoyacand to the south-east byOmealca.[2]
The climate in Yanga is warm and humid, with an average temperature of 18 °C and rains mainly in the summer and fall.
Agriculture
[edit]It produces principallymaize,beans,sugarcane,coffeeandmango.
Celebrations
[edit]Every February, a festival is held to celebrate Virgen de Candelaria, the patron of the town. Every December is a festival in honour of theVirgin of Guadalupe.
Annually, in mid-August, a carnival is held to celebrate Gaspar Yanga, the former slave and leader who held off the Spanish in their attack of 1609 on his maroon settlement in the highlands. Several years later, in 1618 he gained the founding of a free village and freedom for his band of maroons - recorded as the first free, Black autonomous region in the Americas.[1]The 400th anniversary carnival was held in August 2009, four centuries after the Spanish had attacked the settlement.
Twinning
[edit]Yanga has expressed interest in beingtwinnedwithWexford,Ireland.[3]
References
[edit]- ^abCharles Henry Rowell, “El Primer Libertador de las Americas: Editor's Notes”,Callaloo31:1 (Winter 2008)
- ^"Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México: Yanga"(in Spanish). Gobierno Estatal. Archived fromthe originalon March 25, 2007.Retrieved2009-06-18.
- ^"Llegan funcionarios de Irlanda a Yanga"[Irish officials arrive to Yanga] (in Spanish).
External links
[edit]- (in Spanish)Municipal Official webpage
- (in Spanish)Municipal Official Information
- [1]
