Asunción Nochixtlán facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Asunción Nochixtlán
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Municipality and town
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 Asunción Nochixtlán
Location in Mexico
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| Country |  Mexico |
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| State | Oaxaca | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 820.35 km2 (316.74 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2005)
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| • Total | 14,676 | |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central Standard Time) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time) | |
Asunción Nochixtlán is a town and municipality in the state of Oaxaca, located in southwestern Mexico. Its name comes from the Nahuatl language, meaning "Place of the Cochineal." A cochineal is a small insect used to make a red dye! This area is part of the Mixteca Region.
The municipality covers about 820 square kilometers. In 2005, around 14,676 people lived here. Nochixtlán is known for its old church, Santa María de la Asunción, which has beautiful statues from the colonial period.
Contents
A Look Back: Nochixtlán's History
How Nochixtlán Began
Nochixtlán was first founded in the year 909. It started as a military zone for the Mixtec people. Their ruler, Ndazahuidandaa, established it.
Challenges and New Beginnings
Between 1521 and 1522, the town faced a very tough time. Many people got sick from diseases like cholera, measles, smallpox, and plague. Because of this, the native people had to leave the area.
A few years later, in 1527, a new Nochixtlán was founded. Francisco Orozco helped to start it again. He was assisted by fifty Mixtec people who had survived the diseases. These survivors were very smart and also good at trading. This is why the town became known as "the traders' town."
Ancient Myths and Modern Education
There is an old myth that in 997, a Mixtec god named Quetzalcóatl visited the area. People believe he shared culture, science, and art with the region. In 1997, people celebrated the 1,000-year anniversary of this event.
In 1997, Mexico also celebrated 75 years of public education. A key person in promoting this was Abraham Castellanos Coronado from Nochixtlán. He was a professor, writer, and philosopher who helped develop the cultural values of this area.
What Nochixtlán Does: Economy
Asunción Nochixtlán has two main ways people make a living: farming and ranching.
Farming and Ranching
Many families in Nochixtlán grow crops like corn, beans, and wheat. This is usually done for their own families. Ranching is also very important, especially raising cattle.
Shops and Services
Nochixtlán is also a place for trade. You can find local crafts here. There are also grocery stores, drugstores, furniture stores, and hardware stores. If you visit, you can find places to stay like hotels, guest houses, and motels.
How People Work
According to a study in 2000, about 5,037 people in the municipality were old enough to work. Almost all of them, 5,022 people, had jobs.
- About 27% of the workers are in the primary sector. This includes farming, ranching, fishing, and hunting.
- About 25% of the workers are in the secondary sector. This includes making things in factories or workshops.
- The largest group, 48% of the workers, are in the third sector. This includes jobs in stores, tourism, and other services. This shows that commerce and services are very important to Nochixtlán's economy.
See also
In Spanish: Asunción Nochixtlán para niños
