Huajicori

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Huajicori (wah-hee-KO-ree) is both a municipality and the municipal seat of the same in the Mexican state of Nayarit. The population of the municipality was 10,294 in 2000 in a total area of 2,603.5 km². The population of the town was 2,351.

Contents 1 Origin of the name 2 Geography 2.1 Location 2.2 Population centers 2.3 The land and water courses 2.4 Climate 2.5 Main ecosystems 2.6 Natural resources 2.7 Use of the soil 3 Socio-demographic profile 3.1 Ethnic groups 3.2 Demographic evolution 3.3 Religion 4 Social and communications infrastructure 4.1 Education 4.2 Health 4.3 Dwellings 4.4 Possession of household goods 4.5 Communications 5 Economic activity 6 Cultural and tourist attractions 7 Government 8 References

[edit] Origin of the name

The name comes from the Cora word “Huaxi-imi”, (peyote) and “Huac”, which is the denomination “a lot of peyote”; so Huajicori means the place “Where there is a lot of peyote”.

[edit] Geography

[edit] Location

Huajicori is located 180 kilometers north of the state capital Tepic, 125 kilometers north of Santiago Ixcuintla, and 19 kilometers northwest of Acaponeta. It is bounded in the north by the municipality of Pueblo Nuevo, Durango; in the south with the municipality of Acaponeta, in the west with the municipality of Escuinapa, state of Sinaloa; in the northwest with the municipalilty of Rosario, state of Sinaloa. The Cañas River forms the boundary between the states of Nayarit and Sinaloa.

[edit] Population centers

Huajicori is formed by 170 rural settlements, among which the largest are: Huajicori, with 2,201 inhabitants in 1995; San Andrés Milpillas with 578; Quiviquinta with 440; Mineral de Cucharas with 325; and, San Francisco del Caimán with 325 inhabitants.

[edit] The land and water courses

The municipality is in the Sierra Madre Occidental, so the land is highly mountainous. The main elevations are Sapo Grande with 2,180 mts.; El Toloache with 2,060 mts.; and Cajones with 1,880 mts.. The semi-flat regions take in about 5% of the municipal area.

The rivers are the Acaponeta, Las Cañas and El Riecito, all of which have a permanent flow. There are six springs and a small like called La Catalina.

[edit] Climate

The climate is hot, semi-hot and, in a small area of the mountains, mild. The average annual rainfall is 1,478 mm, 92% of which fall in the months of July to Semptember. The average annual temperature is 23.1° C.

[edit] Main ecosystems

The forests of oak, pine, and cedar cover a large part of the municipality, above in the mountain region. The steep and inaccessible terrain make logging difficult. There are zones of jungle and pasture, as well as an abundant wild fauna including deer, puma, jaguar, wild pig, linx, rabbit, armadillo, badger, dove, partridge, and wild turkey.

[edit] Natural resources

The region is rich in minerals, above all lead, gold, and silver. At present only small holdings are being worked.

[edit] Use of the soil

Agriculture is practiced in only 1.17% of the land area, with the main crops being corn, bean, jamaica, and fruit trees. The zones of pasture make up 5.43% of the land and are used for cattle raising. Forests and jungle make up over 90% of the remaining land.

[edit] Socio-demographic profile

[edit] Ethnic groups

The main groups are the Tepehuano, Cora, and Huichol. Huajicori ranks third in the state with its indigenous population, 855 inhabitants, which was 10% of the municipal population in 1995.

[edit] Demographic evolution

From 1970 to 1990 the population grew at an annual rate of 1.7%. While in 1970 the total population was 7,088 inhabitants, by 1980 it had reached 8,595 inhabitants. In 1990 the population was 9,991 persons and in 1995 it was 10,244. From 1990 to 1995 the growth rate was 0.4%. Of the total population, 48.35% were female (1995).

[edit] Religion

The Catholic religion was declared by about 94% of the population, while 2.5% declared themselves to be Evangelical Protestant, 1.3% did not specify their religion, 0.3% professed other religions and 2.6% had no religion.

[edit] Social and communications infrastructure

[edit] Education

In 1995 there were 123 educational units, of which 31 were preschool, 82 primary, and 10 lower secondary. There was one library in the municipal seat. The literacy rate was 77.9%.

[edit] Health

The national health service provides 3 clinics in the towns and 10 in the rural areas. There were no hospitals at the time of writing.

[edit] Dwellings

There was a total of 1,731 dwellings in 1995. The average number of occupants was 5.8, the highest in the state.

The dwellings, for the most part, are rustic constructions made of light materials like wood, adobe, and sheet metal. 61% had drinking water, 16.6% had drainage, and 71.6% had electricity (1995).

[edit] Possession of household goods

• Number of dwellings (2000): 1,873
• Number of dwellings with a radio: 1,062
• Number of dwellings with a television: 645
• Number of dwellings with a videocassette: 125
• Number of dwellings with a food blender (liquifier): 451
• Number of dwellings with a refrigerator: 480
• Number of dwellings with a washing machine: 208
• Number of dwellings with a telephone: 110
• Number of dwellings with a water heater: 26
• Number of dwellings with an automobile or pickup truck: 123
• Number of dwellings with a computer: 8

(INEGI, 2000)

[edit] Communications

There was a telephone network in the municipal seat. There were no local newspapers published. There was one post office and telegraph office in the municipal seat.

The municipality had one paved road with 18 kilometers extension in 1995, linking the municipal seat with Acaponeta. The length of rural gravelled and dirt roads was 65 kilometers. There were small airplane runways in San Andrés Milpillas, Llano Grande and Mineral de Cucharas.

[edit] Economic activity

The economy is based on agriculture and cattle raising. The main crops are corn, beans, Chile, and jamaica. The cattle herd had about 40,000 head in 1995.

There were some small lumber mills and at least one mine in Mineral de Cucharas. Around 70% of the economically active population was engaged in agriculture or cattle raising.

[edit] Cultural and tourist attractions

In the municipal seat there is a baroque temple dedicated to the Virgen de la Candelaria, dating from 1824, with interesting wood carved pieces dating from the colonial period.

On 2 February the locals venerate the Virgen de la Candelaria, with processions, dances, fireworks, religious activities, and sports events. Tourists come from the neighboring states of Durango, Sinaloa and [[Sonora}}.

The local legend about the Virgen says that in colonial times a large jar was found floating on the Acaponeta River and taken out of the current by an Indian woman. Inside was a statue of about 40 cm. of the Virgen de la Candelaria, made of corn paste.

In the settlements of Guásimas, Contadeño and Zuntenco traditional dances are still practiced to celebrate indigenous customs.

Besides the church in Huajicori and the festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria, tourists seek out the thermal waters of “Caramota”, located 7 kilometers from the municipal seat.

[edit] Government

Until 1917 Huajicori belonged to the municipality of Acaponeta. The first Municipal President to hold office was Praxedis Flores governing in 1926. The present-day Municipal President is Marco Antonio Ochoa Sánchez, elected for the period 2005-08.

[edit] References

• Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México
• Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografia, e Informática

Coordinates: 22°38′N 105°19′W