Santa Catarina Ayotzingo

Origin

Ayotzinco was the first name that was given by chichimecas to the town when they founded it. Ayotzinco means “Where the turtles sunbathe”, in the Nahuatl language, Ayotzinco does not have exact date of his foundation, but has approximate 8 centuries of existence. When Spaniards arrived to this territory, they changed the name to “Ayotzingo” because of the complicated pronunciation that had, likewise as it happened with many other words náhuatl, Ayotzingo is an enigmatic place, from his people until his traditions, his food, his culture, his streets and his history, is a must visit place when you visit the state of Mexico.

Saint Catherine Ayotzingo was in the antiquity a waterfront village of the lake of Chalco, dependent since and along the colony and afterwards in independent Mexico of the cabecera municipal of Chalco, in the colonial period was built the temple of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and an Augustinian mission, main monuments of the population.

Location

Saint Catherine is settled in a valley where was the ancient lake of Chalco next to the range of mountains of the southwest of the municipality of Chalco; according to the Census of Population and Houses of 2010 made by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), Saint Catherine Ayotzingo has a population of 10,702 inhabitants, from which 5,222 are men and 5,480 are women.

History

His origin is due to the nomadic tribe chichimeca, they looked for favourable places, where purchased foods for his subsistence. In the period of the Aztec splendour Ayotzingo was populated by the royalty and was the most important harbor of all the region of the lake of chalco. To this port of Ayotzingo arrived mercancias from Chalco, Amecameca, Tlalmanalco, Mixquic, and even from the Morelos state.

Mexican revolution in Ayotzingo

In 1910, during the revolutionary movement in the municipality of Chalco there were several clashes, incursion of revolutionary forces were constant because of the proximity of the state of Morelos and to the absence of the political power. On 23 October 1911 revolutionary groups attacked the places of Saint Pablo Atlazalpan and Ayotzingo where robbed horses, arms, money, clothes and all type of objects, at last were clash of clans, burning of some houses, the conciliatory court and the school of girls.

Che and Fidel Castro in Ayotzingo

Che Guevara and Fidel Castro trained in Santa Catarina Ayotzingo, According to the local historian Rafael Pozos this town was key for the triumph of the Cuban revolution and so for the arrival of Fidel Castro to the power. In the village of Saint Catherine Ayotzingo is missed the presence of Fidel Castro. Here yes we want you and we do not go to condition your presence, say the pobladores; however, after the Cuban guerrilla trained militarily in the ranch of Santa Rosa, never returned. Rafael Pozos Acatitla, local historian, signals that the village of Santa Catarina Ayotzingo was key for the triumph of the Cuban revolution and that Fidel Castro have arrived to the power. Likewise, it explains that the last plans to initiate the fight against the dictator Fulgencio Batiste, in the Master Saw of the island, detailed in the fields of training that had the guerrilla in the ranch of Santa Rosa.

Parties

Ayotzingo is divided by neighbourhoods, and each one of them organises the party to his pattern, that is a catholic saint and give the name to his respective neighbourhood.

Saint Catherine

It is the patron saint of all the village and the date of his celebration is on 25 November but this party prolongs until 3 days, and can finish on 28 November, in this party organised by all the population of Ayotzingo there is fair, mechanical games, processions, marotas or chinelos, regional bands that play music during every day almost all day, is in this party where gave birth to exponents of the Mexican regional music, as, "the cardinals again lion, the cadets of linares, The Bet, group Yaguaru, the Askis, the Arrolladora band the lemon, Lick them, Group Release, the Guardians of the Love, Rayito Colombian, Julio Esteemed, Ramón Ayala, The giant of America (Bronco), Benda Small musical, Julion Álvarez, Aarón and his Group Illusion, etc.

San Miguel

Neighbourhood of San Miguel.

Date: on 19 September.

Santiago

Neighbourhood of Santigo.

Date: on 25 July.

San Juan Neighbourhood of San Juan.

Date: on 24 June.

Santa María

Date: on 15 August.

Santa Cruz Neighbourhood of Santa Cruz.

Date: on 3 May.

Death of the secretary of government

On 11 November 2011, a helicopter accident killed the secretary of Government Francisco Blake Dwells 4 km from the town.