San Miguel Petapa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids San Miguel Petapa
Municipality
San Miguel Petapa Location in Guatemala
Country	Guatemala
Department	Guatemala
Area
• Municipality	9.5 sq mi (24.6 km2)
Elevation	4,130 ft (1,260 m)
Population  (2018 census)
• Municipality	135,447
• Density	14,260/sq mi (5,506/km2)
• Urban	129,124
Climate	Aw

San Miguel Petapa, also called Petapa, is a city and a municipality in the Guatemala department of Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City. In 2018, about 129,124 people lived there.

History of San Miguel Petapa

Early Spanish Settlements and Missions

The coat of arms for the Order of Preachers.

After the Spanish conquered the area, they wanted to teach the native people about the Catholic faith. New towns created by missionaries were called "Indian doctrines" or "doctrines." The original idea was for friars to teach Catholicism and Spanish to the natives. Then, these towns would become regular parishes, like those in Spain. People would then pay a mandatory church tax called tithing.

However, this plan did not work out. The Spanish king lost control over the religious orders, like the friars. Missionaries only answered to their own religious leaders, not to the Spanish government or bishops. Once a doctrine was set up, the friars protected their own interests. This meant the doctrines stayed as Indian towns for a long time during the Spanish rule.

Friars could start these communities wherever they wanted. The main goal was to eventually turn them into secular parishes. But in reality, these doctrines grew very large and were never handed over. They were built around the friars' monastery. From there, friars would visit smaller settlements called "annexes" or "visit towns."

Doctrines had three main features:

• They were free from outside control, both from the church and the government.
• A group of friars ran them.
• They had many smaller towns connected to them.

Having a group of friars in charge was important. It made sure the community could keep going even if one friar passed away.

In 1638, the Order of Preachers divided their large doctrines. This was because these doctrines brought them a lot of money. Petapa's doctrine was given to the Amatitlán Convent. Later, in 1754, the Order of Preachers had to give all their doctrines and convents to the regular church leaders. This was part of changes made by the Spanish government.

Amatitlán Department is Formed

A picture of Mariano Rivera Paz. He was the governor who created the Amatitlán district in 1839.

After Central America became independent, a new area was created. This happened when Mariano Rivera Paz was governor. On November 6, 1839, a new independent district called Amatitlán was formed. It included Palín and Villa Nueva.

The official order said:

• "The city of Amatitlán, San Cristóbal Palín, Villa Nueva, San Miguel and Santa Inés Petapa, and all towns connected to them, will form a separate district for their government."
• "This district will be led by a Lieutenant Corregidor. They will follow the law starting October 2 of this year and earn a thousand pesos a year."
• "There will also be a local court in this district to make sure justice is served."

Later, on May 8, 1866, the district's name changed. It became the Amatitlán Department under the government of Vicente Cerna y Cerna.

Amatitlán Department Changes

The Amatitlán Department was later ended by an order from President Jorge Ubico on April 29, 1935.

Even though the religious items were moved in the 1700s, some old traditions remained. For example, the "Señor Sepultado" (The Buried Lord) sculpture is five centuries old. It was taken from the original settlement of the Order of Preachers.

Traditions and Celebrations

San Miguel Petapa has two main traditional holidays. One is in February and honors Our Lady of the Rosary. During this time, there is a special parade and religious plays. The other holiday is for Saint Michael the Archangel.

A special tradition for Ladinos (people of mixed heritage) in the area is the Flowers Dance. In this dance, people roll up and then unroll around a specific tree. Music plays and verses are recited at the same time. This dance started in the old Spanish capital, Santiago de Guatemala (now Antigua Guatemala). From there, it spread to nearby villages. Later, it moved to the new capital, Nueva Guatemala de la Asuncion. Today, you can see this folk dance in other towns in the Guatemala department. These include San Raymundo, Mixco, San Juan Sacatepequez, San Jose Pinula, and Villa Nueva.

Sports in San Miguel Petapa

The local football (soccer) team is called Deportivo Petapa. They play in the Primera División de Ascenso, which is the second level of Guatemalan football. Their home stadium is the Estadio Julio Armando Cobar. Another team, Deportivo Mixco, has also used this stadium while their own new stadium was being built.

Climate

San Miguel Petapa has a tropical climate. This type of climate is known as Aw in the Köppen climate classification.

Where San Miguel Petapa is Located

San Miguel Petapa is surrounded by other towns in the Guatemala Department.

		Guatemala City
	Villa Nueva		Villa Canales
		San Miguel Petapa
	Lake Amatitlán	Villa Canales	Villa Canales

See also

In Spanish: San Miguel Petapa para niños