| Totonicapán | |||
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| — Department — | |||
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| Totonicapán | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Guatemala | ||
| Department | Totonicapán | ||
| Capital | Totonicapán | ||
| Municipalities | 8 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Departmental | ||
| • Governor | |||
| Area | |||
| • Department | 1,061 km2 (409.7 sq mi) | ||
| Population (Census 2002)[1] | |||
| • Department | 339,254 | ||
| • Urban | 121,617 | ||
| • Ethnicities | K'iche' people, Ladino | ||
| • Religions | Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Maya | ||
| Time zone | -6 | ||
Totonicapán is one of the 22 departments of Guatemala. The capital is the city of Totonicapán.
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Totonicapán has an area of 1.061 km² located in the western highlands. Its territory is crossed by ramifications of the Sierra Madre, and includes mountains as Cuxniquel, Campanabaj, and Cerro de Coxóm. Important rivers in Totonicapaán include the Samalá, Pachac, Las Palmeras, Sajcocolaj, Patzotzil, Huacol and Pajá.
Its Mayan inhabitants speak the K'iche' language.
Cuatros Caminos ("four roads") is a well-known intersection of roads that go to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala City, Huehuetenango and Totonicapán.
Historical chronicler Francisco Antonio de Fuentes y Guzmán, described the municipalities of Totonicapán in his 1689 “Recordación Florida.” This record confirms the area's pre-Columbian origins.
In July, 1820, the indigenous residents of Totonicapán revolted against the government in response to excessive tributes imposed by the Spanish King Ferdinand VII. The rebellion was led by Atanasio Tzul and Lucas Aguilar. After toppling the local government, Tzul declared himself king of the breakaway province, with Aguilar as president. The mayor of neighboring Quetzaltenango, Prudencio Cózar, along with hundreds of armed men, led an invasion to put down the rebellion. The rebel government lasted about 20 days. The rebels were captured, whipped, and imprisoned.[1]
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