Ajijic (Part 1)
We are so happy to be with you again, exploring the different towns around Lake Chapala. We are now visiting Ajijic. This is the first of two videos about Ajijic.
This town was founded fot he secondtime in 1531. At that time, it already had a small population. Ajijic’s original founding is unknow, however, it is said that the first native arose from the ashes of the island of Mezcala, and that is why the lake is considered to be one of the four cardinal points of the Nahua mythology.
From 1520 to 1522, captain Alonso de Avalos conviced the towns in the area to submit. The process was quite paeceful so, in reality, there was no bloodshed.
The order of franciscans were appointed by the spanish crown to evangeluze all this area. Friar Miguel de Bolonia and Fray Cristobal Vilchis had already christianized San Antonio Tlayacapan and San Juan Cosala. The rlatoni or cacique (chief) Xitomatl was a Christian convent.
The friars wanted to built a convent, a church and a hospital in San Juan Cosala for the spiritual and physical needs of the population, but Xitomatl said it was more convenient to built them un Axixiquie, which was the original name of the place.
In Nahuatl it meant “naveks of the earth”, because there were many springs of warm water there.
The first church was a chapel of “bajarete”, made with walls of strong tree twings covered with covered with mud and grass. The first capel dedicated to the virgin mary, was built in Tomatlan, a little town between San Juan Cosala and Ajijic.
However, as it was built with twing, as hurricae during the rainy season destroyed it completely. Then a second one was built in Teculutlan, with a different method using a special mud and rocks. It is still standing today. From 1531 to 1765, Ajijic was the Lakeside’s most important town.
Check the interview With Michael Eager
Bibliography/Sources.
Courtesy of Mr. Eduardo Ramos, chronicler of Ajijic.
Google
Wikipedia