Paso Yobai facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paso Yobai
Paso Yobai
Paso Yobai Location in Paraguay
Country	Paraguay
Department	Guairá
Founded	1923
Founded by	Jorge Naville
Population  (2008)
• Total	25,067
Time zone	-4 GMT
Postal code	3210
Area code(s)	(595) (552)

Paso Yobai is a district located in the eastern part of the Guairá Department in Paraguay. It was started in 1923 by a settler from Switzerland named George Naville. He wanted to create a farming community there.

The first person to live in Paso Yobai permanently was Jose Dolores Resquin. He worked for Naville and grew yerba mate. This special plant was then sent to Villarrica using ox-wagons. Paso Yobai was part of the Independencia district until 1993.

Paso Yobai is well-known for its excellent yerba mate. Farmers also grow sugar-cane, cotton, and soy here. In 2007, a Canadian company called "Latin American Minerals, Inc." started gold mining in the area. This has brought more money to Paso Yobai. However, it has also caused environmental problems, like mercury getting into the streams.

The famous harp player, Enrique Samaniego, was born in Paso Yobai.

Economy and Gold Mining

Farming and Gold

For a long time, growing and processing yerba mate was the main business in Paso Yobai. There used to be about 10,000 hectares of land used for yerba mate. Now, about 8,000 hectares are still used. However, gold mining has become the most profitable activity.

Even with gold mining, yerba mate is still important. Several factories in the area make different brands of yerba mate, like Sudetia, Aromatica, San Jose, and Labrador.

The Gold Rush

People had heard rumors about gold in Paso Yobai for many years. But serious gold mining only began in the late 1990s. The "gold fever" started when a man from Ecuador married a woman from Paso Yobai. He found gold in a stream on his father-in-law's land. This discovery changed the lives of many families.

Small-Scale Mining

Many local gold miners are called "garimpeiros." They use different methods to find gold. A miner might earn around 125,000 Guaranis for one gram of gold powder. It usually takes one to two days to get a gram of gold. A miner can make a living if they find 10 grams or more of gold each month.

Miners use mercury to separate gold from sand and clay. Sadly, this mercury often goes into the water. Arroyo Gasory, the biggest stream, now has a lot of mercury. Because of this, the fish in the stream are not safe to eat.

Local Celebrations

One of the most important events in Paso Yobai is the Patronage Festival. It happens every August 15. This festival honors the district's patron saint, the Virgin of Asuncion.

The celebrations begin with a special prayer time called a novena each afternoon. Different neighborhoods take turns organizing one day of the novena. There is also a religious choir competition on the lawn of the Catholic Church. People from all over the district come to join in this celebration.

On the morning of August 15, there is a procession. People carry an image of the Virgin through the streets. The streets are decorated with bamboo arches and paper strings. After the procession, everyone goes to the church for a special Mass. The celebration continues after Mass with bullfighting, dancing, and music.

Geography of Paso Yobai

Borders

Paso Yobai shares its borders with other areas:

• North: Mauricio José Troche and Caaguazú Department.
• South: Caazapá Department.
• West: Colonia Independencia.
• East: Caazapá Department.

Rivers and Streams

The Capiibary river flows through the district. This river is a branch of the Parana River. Many streams also flow through Paso Yobai:

• Mangrullo
• Baba
• Pacobá
• Curuzú
• Ycuá Porá
• Morotí
• Gasory
• Itacarú
• Zanja Pytá
• Cabayuby

People and Communities

Population Facts

Here are some facts about the people living in Paso Yobai:

• The total population is 25,067 people.
• About 45.2% of the people are under 15 years old.
• Most of the population (92.04%) lives in rural areas.
• About 82% of the people work in farming.
• Most houses (77.8%) have electricity.
• Fewer houses (12.1%) have running water.

Rural Areas

The district has 22 smaller rural areas. These areas are connected by dirt roads. Some of the important rural areas include: Sudetia, Arroyo Morotí, Planchada, San Isidro, Nueva Guairá, Capii, Curuzú, Natividad, San Roque, Mangrullo, Torres Cué, Tayi, San Antonio, Nansen, 3 de Noviembre, San José, Santa María, San Francisco, and Colonia Bergthal.

Native Communities

There are several communities of Amerindian people in the district. They are part of the Mbya group. These communities include:

• Rancho Kuña
• Yryvu Kua
• Naranjito
• Santa Teresita
• Nance
• Ovenia
• Isla Hu

Getting Around

Many bus lines serve Paso Yobai. The Empresa Ybytyruzu company has three buses a day that go to and from Asunción. This trip takes about 5 to 6 hours. Empresa Sudetia has six buses a day to and from Villarrica, which takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. Empresa 8 de Noviembre has one bus a day to and from Caaguazu, taking about 1.5 hours.

Because many roads are made of dirt, it can be hard for vehicles to travel after it rains. Since gold was discovered, more and more people in the district are buying and riding motorcycles.

See also

In Spanish: Paso Yobái para niños