Zacualpa

Zacualpa
Sacualpa[1]
Municipality

Main church
Zacualpa

Location in Guatemala

Coordinates: 15°01′38″N 90°52′40″W / 15.02722°N 90.87778°WCoordinates: 15°01′38″N 90°52′40″W / 15.02722°N 90.87778°W
Country Guatemala
Department El Quiché
Municipality Zacualpa
Government
 • Type Municipal
Area
 • Municipality 336 km2 (130 sq mi)
Elevation 1,486 m (4,875 ft)
Population (Census 2002)
 • Municipality 22,846
 • Urban 6,615
 • Ethnicities K'iche', Ladino
 • Religions Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Maya
Climate Cwb

Zacualpa (Spanish pronunciation: [saˈkwalpa]) is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of El Quiché. The family of Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchú is from this municipio.

Etymology

Many place names in Guatemala, including the name of the country, are Nahuatl names imposed by the conquering Spaniards, using words given to them by their Mexic allies. Sac in Maya means white, however, and the legend is that the white sediments in the banks and hills above the Polochic River are the origin of Sac Wal B'a. As of 1850, the British were calling Zacualpa, Sacualpa.[1] Both spellings are still found informally.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Baily, John (1850). Central America; Describing Each of the States of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. London: Trelawney Saunders. p. 56.

External links