Chimaltenango Department (Guatemala) (original) (raw)

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Departamento de Chimaltenango

image by Jaume Ollé, 28 March 2005

Overview
Coat of Arms

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Jaume Ollé's Flag Report - Guatemala Departments

Overview

In Bulletin Flag Report 8 appeared various departmental flags of Guatemala and all the coat-of-arms. With some delay it was received by mid October the communication from the departmental governor of Chimaltenango Jorge Morales Muñoz dated on 11 September (month of the country's independence) 1998, but written on 9 September 1998. The redaction was made in fact by Francisco A. Colindres G., first officer of the government of Chimaltenango, and the picture of the flag that accompanies the communication was made by Jaime Bal Sotz, of the 3rd operative of the government.
Dark green rectangular flag, with bright yellow fringes in the borders, containing a white circle with the departmental coat-of-arms. Green symbolizes the people of the department living in democracy, faith and hope. White symbolizes purity, quietude, honesty, peace, integrity, firmness and light offered by its inhabitants.
Coat-of-arms: Represents the union of 16 municipalities (Acatenango, Chimaltenango, El Tejar, Parramos, Patzicia, Patzun, San Andrés Izapa, San José Poaquil, San Juan Comalapa, San Martín Jilotepeque, San Miguel Pochuta, San Pedro Yapocapa, Santa Apolonia, Santa Cruz Balanya, Tacpan Guatemala and Zaragoza).
Blue in the coat-of-arms symbolizes justice, loyalty, truth and the strength of its inhabitants, as well as the sky of the department in the summer months, and the seas surrounding Guatemala; the country is represented by the flag in the upper part.
The lyre is in honor of the great musician Rafael Alvarez Ovalle, author of the music of the national anthem (one of the most beautiful of the world), and also in honor of all the musicians, guitarists, pianists, harp, drum, chirimilla players, and the great marimba composers and players of the department, since the marimba is the wild piano that puts happiness between the sky and the earth, and with it the people of Chimaltenango get in communion with God, with the heart of the sky and the heart of the land, since it is said that in Chimaltenango the marimba weeps and sings, and when it sounds with a pair of drumstick strokes and people dances, their pain is scared away.
The colonial fountain is placed in the central park of Chimaltenango, head of the department, and unites both oceans with its drains: one that goes to the Pacific and the other to the Atlantic.
The swans represent the resort "Los Aposentos" of Chimaltenango, where they live since several years, and it is the tourist attraction for nationals and foreigners.
The wheat and the corn, represent since thousands of years the main crop and the hard work of the men of the department. The coffee, grown in the department, mainly in the municipalities of Acatenango, San Pedro Yepocapa and San Miguel Pochuta, is classified as one of the best of the world. These products have been chosen to appear in the coat-of-arms but in the department, a little bit of land blessed by God, a great quantity and variety of fruits, vegetables, corn, wheat, potato and bean is grown, and ancient and modern handicraft is produced; bricks and tiles are made in the prosperous municipality of El Tejar that provides all the department of Chimaltenango. Thanks to its climate (the best of the world) all kind of animals are raised, represented also in the coat-of-arms, mainly cattle, horses, mules, sheep, goats and other.
In the two circles flanking the colonial fountain are shown the ruins of Iximche, in the municipality of Tecpan Guatemala, pride of the department; Tecpan Guatemala is the first colonial city, cradle of the Mayan civilization of the kakchiquels, and Iximche was the first capital of the ancient Mayan kakchiquel territory, being now the "archaeologic center Iximche"; its history goes back to the Spanish conquest and colony. In the other circle are placed the fire volcanoes of the municipality of Acatenango, that represent together with the nearby mountains, the parapet put by God and mother nature to protect the nearby municipalities of San Pedro Yepocapa, Acatenango, Patzicia, Zaragoza Parramos, San Andrés Itzapa, El Tejar and properly the departmental head Chimaltenango, from the hurricane winds that come from the Southern Coast (Pacific Ocean) and saves the municipality of San Miguel Pochuta -by its topographical location already part of the coast- in the months of November, December and January from the frosts that could kill the crops.
Chimaltenango is a word of Mayan origin. Chimal means "shield" or "wall" and tenango means "hill". The kakchiqueles called it Bocob. The modern city was founded by Pedro Portocarrero in 1526, only two years after the Spanish established in the capital of the Kakchiquel Kingdom, Iximche (25 July 1524), renamed Guatemala (today Antigua Guatemala). In the 17th century it was called Santa Ana Chimaltenango, and was a prosper an important town. In the 18th century it constituting the corregimiento of El Valle, dependent of the city of Guatemala, and it was destroyed by an earthquake on 29 July 1773. The title of Alcaldía Mayor (Greater Municipality) was granted on 22 November 1782, as capital of the province of the same name. It was province and department recognized by the successive administrative divisions of the country. The title of city was granted in 1926.
Jaume Ollé, 28 March 2005

Coat of Arms

cm.gif)image by Jaume Ollé, 28 March 2005