Sipacapa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sipacapa San Bartolomé Sipacapa
Municipality of Guatemala
Sipacapa Location in Guatemala
Country	Guatemala
Department	San Marcos
Municipality	Sipacapa
Government
• Type	Municipal
Population  (Census 2002)
• Municipality of Guatemala	14,043
• Urban	623
• Ethnicities	Sipakapense Ladino
• Religions	Roman Catholicism Evangelicalism Maya
Climate	Cwb

Sipacapa is a small town and a municipality (like a local government area) in the San Marcos department of Guatemala. It's located in the Western highlands, which are high, mountainous areas. About 14,000 people live in Sipacapa, spread across 14 village communities in the mountains. Sipacapa is special because it has its own unique language called Sipakapense, which is a Maya language.

A Look at Sipacapa's Past

Bishop Pedro Cortés y Larraz visited Tejutla in 1770.

A long time ago, in 1690, a place called Tejutla was very large. It included many areas that are now separate towns, like Sipacapa. Old writings describe Tejutla as a "prosperous land" with good weather and plenty of water.

Tejutla was an important place for trade and religion. In 1767, it was called "El Curato," meaning it was the main trading center for all the towns around it. Later, in 1770, a bishop named Dr. Pedro Cortés y Larraz visited Tejutla. He called it "Santiago at the top of the hill" and said that 64 families lived there very well.

In 1821, when the Central American United Provinces were formed, Tejutla was officially placed under the area that is now San Marcos.

Changes in Power

By 1870, Tejutla had grown a lot. Its leaders even asked to become a department capital, which is like a main city for a larger region. However, things changed when new leaders, called "liberals," took power. They were led by generals Miguel Garcia Granados and Justo Rufino Barrios.

These new leaders made big changes. They removed religious groups, like the Mercedarians, who had been important in managing the area. The government took their land and property and gave it to their friends and supporters. This changed who owned the land in the region.

Sipacapa Today: A Mining Story

Understanding Local Concerns

In 2009, Sipacapa became well-known because of a disagreement. Local people, especially the Sipakapense, had concerns about a gold mine. This mine is operated by a Canadian company called Goldcorp. The mine is mostly in a nearby town, San Miguel Ixtahuacán, but it also touches Sipacapa.

This disagreement was even shown in a documentary film called "Sipakapa No Se Vende," which means "Sipacapa Is Not For Sale." You can find more information about the mine and the community's concerns in the article about the Marlin mine.

Sipacapa's Weather

Sipacapa has a mild or temperate climate. This means it doesn't get too hot or too cold. It's classified as a Cwb climate according to the Köppen system, which is a type of subtropical highland climate.

Where is Sipacapa?

Sipacapa is located about 85 kilometers (about 53 miles) north of the main city of the San Marcos department, which is also called San Marcos.

		Malacatancito, Huehuetenango Department municipality
	Tejutla and San Miguel Ixtahuacan, San Marcos Department municipalities		San Carlos Sija, Quetzaltenango Department municipality
		Sipacapa
		Comitancillo, San Marcos Department municipality

See also

In Spanish: Sipacapa para niños