El Carrizal, El Salvador facts for kids

Quick facts for kids El Carrizal
Municipality
El Carrizal Location in El Salvador
Country	El Salvador
Department	Chalatenango Department
Elevation	1,512 ft (461 m)

El Carrizal is a town and a local government area called a municipality. It is located in the Chalatenango Department in the northern part of El Salvador.

What is El Carrizal?

El Carrizal is a municipality in the Chalatenango department of El Salvador. It shares borders with Honduras to the north and east. To the southeast, it borders Ojos de Agua and Las Vueltas. To the west and northwest, it borders La Laguna. The total area of El Carrizal is about 25.32 square kilometers. For local management, the municipality is divided into four main areas called cantones and 22 smaller areas called caseríos. However, some plans suggest there are only 18 caseríos today.

A Look Back: History of El Carrizal

The history of El Salvador goes back a very long time, even before Europeans arrived, around 1500 BC. In 1522, the first Spanish explorers, led by Captain Pedro de Alvarado, landed on Isla Meanguera. This island is in the Gulf of Fonseca. In 1524, Captain Alvarado began a period of conflict with the local people of Cuzcatlán. After many days of fighting, the Spanish continued their efforts to control the land. For centuries, Spanish families managed the land, with local and African people working for them.

Around 1810, a priest named José Matías Delgado started a movement for change, supported by many people. After years of effort, Central American countries gained their independence. The official document, the Central American Independence Act, was signed in Guatemala on September 15, 1821.

In 1807, El Carrizal was a busy village of non-indigenous people near Chalatenango. It was located on an important road. By law, on February 18, 1841, El Carrizal became one of the voting districts in El Salvador, along with the villages of Vainillas and Petapa.

El Carrizal has been part of different departments over time. From 1824 to 1835, it was part of San Salvador. From 1835 to 1855, it belonged to Cuscatlán. Since February 14, 1855, it has been part of the Chalatenango department. Many families in El Carrizal have roots in Honduras, especially from Guarita and other towns in the Lempira Department.

In 1931, farmers and local citizens faced challenges with landowners. This led to a period of unrest. The government responded, and many people were affected. This difficult time was later called La Matanza, meaning "The Slaughter." People remained unhappy with the government. This led to a movement of groups who wanted to bring about change. The government also responded with force. This period of political instability and conflict led to the start of a difficult time known as the Civil War in 1980. This war lasted 12 years. It caused many people to lose their lives and forced thousands to leave their homes. The Peace Accords were signed on January 16, 1992, bringing an end to the conflict.

The Chalatenango department was greatly affected by the Civil War. Many people from El Carrizal had to leave their homes because of the conflict. However, starting in the early 1990s, especially after the Peace Accords, people began to return and rebuild their communities in the municipality.

In 1992, a national count showed that El Carrizal had 2,727 people. About 19% lived in the town area, and 81% lived in rural areas. By August 2004, community leaders reported 2,806 people living there. About 54% were women and 46% were men, making up 618 families in total.

Cantones and Caseríos

El Carrizal is divided into four main cantones, each with several smaller caseríos:

• Trinidad:
  • Trinidad
  • Aldea Vieja
  • Santa Cruz
  • Callejones
  • Sitio Las Cañas
  • Sitio Vado Las Cañas
  • Sitio Viejo
• Petapa:
  • Petapa
  • Petapita
  • Sitio Vado Olosingo
  • La Junta
  • Valle Los Santos
  • La Quesera
• Potrerillos:
  • Potrerillos
  • Los Planes
  • Teosinte
  • San Cristóbal
  • El Teosinte
  • Crujillitas
  • El Limón
• Vainillas:
  • Vainillas
  • El Limo
  • El Pucuyo

Stories Behind the Names

Some caseríos became less populated after the Civil War, like Sitio Vado Las Cañas and Crujillitas. At the same time, new areas have become populated but are not yet officially named caseríos, such as El Camalote-Brisas de la Paz.

All the cantones and the main town area have Asociaciones de Desarrollo Comunal (Community Development Associations), also known as ADESCOS. These groups help with local projects. Rural schools have ACE groups, and the school in the main town has a CDE. There are also committees and boards that help manage water services and sports activities.

In the municipality, there are 630 houses. About 32% are made of modern materials like cement blocks and brick. Most houses, about 67%, are made of adobe (a mix of earth and straw). A small number, about 1%, are made of a material similar to adobe called bahareque.

Here's how some places got their names:

• Cantón Vainillas: Named because vanilla plants used to grow there.
• Potrerillo: Named for the large areas of land that were used as pastures (potreros).
• Petapa: Named after its patron saint, Santa Marta de Petapa.
• Petapita: Also known as "valley of the Saints," named after a large family called Santos (Saints) who live there.
• Petapon: This is where the church is and is the center of Cantón Petapa.
• Junta: This place is where the Sumpul River and La Garza River join together (junta means "together").
• La Quesera: A caserío in Petapa where people used to make cheese (queso).

Religion and Celebrations

In El Salvador, about 83% of people identify as Roman Catholic. The remaining 17% belong to other religions. However, the number of Catholics has changed in recent years. There is a lot of Protestant activity, and El Salvador has one of the highest rates of Protestantism in Latin America. Religion is very important to many people.

Festivals honoring patron saints and other religious holidays are still very important. They are celebrated in almost all towns across the country. Nearly all cantones have their own patron saint, and they hold festivals in their honor.

Traditional Festivals

Here are some of the main festivals in El Carrizal:

• El Carrizal: December 4–8, honoring the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
• Petapa: June 13, honoring San Antonio.
• Caserío Petapita: May 13, honoring the Virgin Fátima.
• Potrerillos: June 6, honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
• Caserío Los Planes: December 27, honoring the Niño Jesus (Child Jesus).
• Vainillas: October 4, honoring San Francisco de Asís; November 21–22, honoring St. Christopher.
• Cantón Trinidad: May 27–28, honoring the Divine Trinity.

Music and Dances

In the past, people in El Carrizal mainly listened to rancheras and boleros. Popular instruments included mandolins, guitars, accordions, marimbas, and violins. Drums made from leather were also common. Today, this traditional music is not heard as often.

La Raspa used to be a very popular dance.

Farming and Food

Traditionally, farmers in El Carrizal have grown corn and beans. On their own farms, people also plant various vegetables like local squash, tomatoes, loroco, blackberries, cucumbers, yucca, jicama, herbs, and peppers. You can still see old signs of sugar cane mills in the area.

Traditional foods include beans, tortillas, metas, soups, sweets, and seeds. Other special dishes are:

• During the corn harvest, people make atole (a warm corn drink) and tamales.
• Montucas are corn tamales filled with meat and vegetables.
• Bean soup is sometimes made with chopped mangoes.
• Potocs are corn dough balls added to beans while they cook.
• Tamales pisques are made to last a long time for travel.
• Pupusas (a stuffed corn tortilla) are popular with beans and oregano.
• After fishing, people sometimes make fish pupusas.

Most of the ingredients for these foods and drinks are natural and grown locally. These traditional foods are part of the area's rich natural variety. However, these eating habits are becoming less common as more people choose store-bought foods.

Places to Visit

El Carrizal has several interesting natural and historical sites:

• The natural pools of the Sumpul River are a great place to visit.
• In the El Rodeo stream, there are waterfalls. There's also a natural pool and a cave under the waterfall, which is actually located in Honduras.
• The forest of La Montañona includes land that belongs to the municipality.
• The caves of Piedra Gato are a unique natural spot.
• The Piedra del Gallinero is a rock that, according to local stories, is home to a little boy from a famous local legend.
• The Bat Cave is located below Vainillas and Sumpul.

Local Crafts

People in El Carrizal create various handmade items:

• In Petapa, people make hammocks.
• There are two places that make ironworks and machetes. These crafts are a long-standing tradition in the municipality.
• Some people make pottery, including pots, water jugs, tortilla pans, and whistles.
• Other traditional crafts include candies made from fruit, caramel, coconut sweets, chocolate, and donkey milk. People also make dolls from corn husks, paper crowns, woven mats, and soaps from olives, beans, and avocado. Alcoholic drinks, both mild and strong, are also made.
• In the past, drums made from leather were used in festivals. Today, you can still find older people who make and play them.

Ancient Sites

El Carrizal has several places where ancient items have been found:

• In Camalote, at the "Breezes of Peace" Cooperative, rocks, pots, and cups have been discovered. There's also a small hill where people have found fire stones.
• In Cantón Potrerillos, pots, water jugs, and a rock with a cow footprint carved into it have been found.
• In Ciprés, there is a special rock that sounds like a bell when hit.
• In the Sumpul River, near Petapa, some large rocks contain obsidian (a type of volcanic glass).
• In Cantón Trinidad, there are rocks with ancient carvings.

See also

In Spanish: El Carrizal para niños