Sahuaripa facts for kids

Sahuaripa is a town in the Mexican state of Sonora. It's also the main town of the Sahuaripa Municipality. The area of the municipality is about 5,694.4 square kilometers. In 2005, around 5,792 people lived there. The town itself had a population of 3,807 in 2000.

Where is Sahuaripa?

The town of Sahuaripa is located in the eastern part of Sonora. It sits high up, about 1,165 meters (3,822 feet) above sea level.

Sahuaripa shares its borders with several other places:

• To the north: Nácori Chico
• To the south: Yécora and Onavas
• To the southwest: Soyopa
• To the west: Bacanora
• To the northwest: San Pedro de la Cueva
• To the east: The state of Chihuahua

You can see a detailed map of Sonora to find Sahuaripa.

What Does the Name Sahuaripa Mean?

The name "Sahuaripa" comes from the Opata language. It means "Yellow Ant."

The town was first mentioned by this name in June 1567 by a Spanish explorer named Francisco de Ibarra. He called it "Zaguaripa." Some historians think that another famous explorer, Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca, might have traveled through the Sahuaripa Valley way back in 1536.

The first people to live in this area were the Opata people. They had a powerful leader named Sisibotárit, who ruled over 70 villages. The Spanish later started a settlement here in 1641. They named it Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de Sahuaripa.

Sahuaripa's History

Sahuaripa has a long and interesting history, especially with missionaries and important events.

Early Missionaries

For many years, different missionary priests lived and worked in Sahuaripa. These priests were mostly from the Jesuit order. They helped establish the community and spread their faith. Later, in 1767, the Jesuit priests left Sonora. After them, Franciscan priests took over the missions in the area.

Important Visitors

In 1803, a man named Pedro Pablo Cañizares came to Sahuaripa. He was the son of a Spanish Navy captain. Pedro Pablo and his wife managed a Spanish royal mine nearby.

Apache Encounters

In the late 1800s, Sahuaripa was a place where American soldiers searched for the famous Apache leader, Geronimo. In 1886, during one of these searches, a US Army captain named Emmet Crawford was shot and later died in the Sahuaripa municipality. Geronimo himself mentioned camping in the mountains of Sahuaripa many times in his memoirs. This shows that the Chiricahua Apache people were very active in this area.

A Diplomatic Incident

In 1887, there was a disagreement between the United States and Mexico. It happened when a US citizen was put in jail in Sahuaripa for not voting in an election. The US Ambassador in Mexico asked for the local official to be removed. The governor of Sonora then investigated the matter.

The Mexican Revolution Begins

Sahuaripa played a part in the start of the Mexican Revolution. In 1910, a leader named Colonel Severiano Talamante came to Sahuaripa to gather supporters. He and his sons recruited a group of people to join the revolution. On January 28, 1911, there was a battle in the town. The rebels fought against government troops. Colonel Talamante and his sons eventually surrendered. The next morning, they were executed. This event is seen as one of the first battles of the Mexican Revolution in Sonora.

Changes in the Church

In 1935, during a time when the Catholic Church faced challenges in Mexico, soldiers came to Sahuaripa. They were looking for a bishop who was in hiding. The soldiers used the church as their barracks. Many religious items from the church were gathered and burned. However, a part of an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was saved by a child. This rescued image, with its burn marks, is still in the church today.

A Young Governor

In 1973, a young man from Sahuaripa named Carlos Armando Biébrich Torres became the governor of Sonora. He was only 33 years old, and the state's rules had to be changed for him to be able to run for governor at such a young age. He was very popular. However, two years later, he had to resign. This was due to a difficult situation involving land rights in another part of the state. This event made many people in Sahuaripa feel that some opportunities for the town were lost.

Sahuaripa's Neighborhoods

Sahuaripa has several neighborhoods, each with its own name:

• Colonia Ricardo Duran: This is at the northern end, near the cemetery.
• Abajo or Pa' 'Bajo: This area is south of the Del Oro Creek, leading to the town's central plaza. "Abajo" means "lower."
• La Orilla Del Rio: These are the streets closest to the east side of town, near the Sahuaripa River.
• Turacachi: This is on the west side of town, near a hill with the same name. There's a rodeo ground here.
• Arriba or Pa' 'Rriba: This area is south of the main plaza. "Arriba" means "upper." The names "Abajo" and "Arriba" refer to the flow of the Sahuaripa River.
• Buchuari: This is the very south end of the town.
• La Calle Ancha: This means "the wide street." It's an unusually wide street on the western side of town, even though its official name is Mariscal street.
• La Alameda: This is a park in the central-south part of town. "Alameda" means "the grove."

Local Festival

Every year, Sahuaripa holds its annual "Fiestas" from December 12 to December 20. These celebrations honor the town's patron saint, Our Lady of Guadalupe. The whole community transforms into a festive atmosphere, similar to a big party. In October 2007, Sahuaripa was also the starting point for a large cavalcade (a procession of people on horseback).

Roads and Ways to Communicate

Sahuaripa is connected to other places by roads and has modern communication services.

• Highways: Paved Highway 104 links Sahuaripa to Hermosillo, the capital city, which is about 206 kilometers (128 miles) away. Paved Highway 117 runs north and south, connecting the town to Yécora and Ciudad Obregón in the south, and Moctezuma, Nacozari, and Douglas, Arizona, to the north.
• Buses: There are daily bus services to Hermosillo. Bus service also runs four days a week between Sahuaripa and Moctezuma, which then connects to Agua Prieta and Douglas, Arizona.
• Communication: Sahuaripa has landline telephone service and cell phone service with 3G network coverage.

Economy

The main ways people make a living in Sahuaripa are through farming and raising cattle.

• Cattle: Raising cattle is very important. In 2000, there were about 64,000 cattle in the area. Grasses are grown to feed the cattle.
• Farming: Farmers also grow small amounts of beans and corn for their own families to eat.
• Special Products: Some organic garlic is grown for natural food stores. People also make traditional local products like "machaca" (naturally dried grass-fed beef), special red chili pepper products, handmade "panela" cheese, and "pinol" (ground cornmeal). Growing chili peppers could be a good alternative to cattle feed in the narrow valleys. You can often see "ristras" (strings of dried red chilies) and "chicos" (dried sweetcorn) here.
• Mining: The biggest employer in the area is the Mulatos gold mine. It's owned by a Canadian company. This is an open-pit mine, which means they dig gold from the surface of the earth.

Other Communities Nearby

Besides the main town of Sahuaripa, there are other smaller communities and ranches in the municipality. Some of these include:

• Valle de Tacupeto
• Guisamopa
• Mulatos
• Matarachi
• Cajon de Onapa
• Santo Tomas
• Sehuadehuachi
• La Mesita del Cuajari
• Natora
• Guadalupe el Grande

There are also many ranches like San Felipe, El Tuli, La Calera, Los Temaquis, La Mesa Grande, and many more.

See also

In Spanish: Sahuaripa para niños