Ciudad Darío ( Spanish pronunciation: [sjuˈðað ðaˈɾi.o] ) is a town and a municipality in the Matagalpa department of Nicaragua . It is the birthplace of poet Rubén Darío and the legendary guerilla leader Edén Pastora .
116-589: Previously known as Metapa and Chocoyos , Ciudad Darío is located 90 km (about 56 miles) from Managua . In prehistoric times, the area was probably part of an ancient lake, from where the Ucumulali River flowed on its way to the Pacific Ocean. Some geologists believe that over time, cataclysmic movements of the Earth created mountain ranges and diverted the river to its present course. The area
232-493: A pitch accent , such as Nahuatl of Oapan, Guerrero . Many modern dialects have also borrowed phonemes from Spanish, such as /β, d, ɡ, ɸ/ . In many Nahuatl dialects vowel length contrast is vague, and in others it has become lost entirely. The dialect spoken in Tetelcingo (nhg) developed the vowel length into a difference in quality: Most varieties have relatively simple patterns of allophony . In many dialects,
348-669: A big role in the promotion of amateur games and tournaments. On the professional level, the National Nicaraguan Football team has still not had the public support nor the international exposure as the regional counterparts like the Costa Rican, Honduran or Salvadoran teams. However, with support of the FIFA, the first national soccer stadium in Managua is under construction. In Managua there are two golf courses,
464-511: A chronicle of the royal lineage of Tenochtitlan by Fernando Alvarado Tezozómoc ; Cantares Mexicanos , a collection of songs in Nahuatl; a Nahuatl-Spanish/Spanish-Nahuatl dictionary compiled by Alonso de Molina ; and the Huei tlamahuiçoltica , a description in Nahuatl of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe . Grammars and dictionaries of indigenous languages were composed throughout
580-409: A few hundred people, perhaps only a few dozen". According to the 2000 census by INEGI, Nahuatl is spoken by an estimated 1.45 million people, some 198,000 (14.9%) of whom are monolingual. There are many more female than male monolinguals, and women represent nearly two-thirds of the total number. The states of Guerrero and Hidalgo have the highest rates of monolingual Nahuatl speakers relative to
696-501: A great deal of autonomy in the local administration of indigenous towns during this period, and in many Nahuatl-speaking towns the language was the de facto administrative language both in writing and speech. A large body of Nahuatl literature was composed during this period, including the Florentine Codex , a twelve-volume compendium of Aztec culture compiled by Franciscan Bernardino de Sahagún ; Crónica Mexicayotl ,
812-760: A group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan language family . Varieties of Nahuatl are spoken by about 1.7 million Nahuas , most of whom live mainly in Central Mexico and have smaller populations in the United States . Nahuatl has been spoken in central Mexico since at least the seventh century CE. It was the language of the Mexica , who dominated what is now central Mexico during the Late Postclassic period of Mesoamerican history . During
928-535: A language label, the term Nahuatl encompasses a group of closely related languages or divergent dialects within the Nahuan branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family. The Mexican Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas (Indigenous Languages Institute) recognizes 30 individual varieties within the "language group" labeled Nahuatl. The Ethnologue recognizes 28 varieties with separate ISO codes. Sometimes Nahuatl
1044-899: A part of their efforts, missionaries belonging to several religious orders —principally Jesuits , as well as Franciscan and Dominican friars—introduced the Latin alphabet to the Nahuas. Within twenty years of the Spanish arrival, texts in Nahuatl were being written using the Latin script. Simultaneously, schools were founded, such as the Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco in 1536, which taught both indigenous and classical European languages to both Native Americans and priests. Missionaries authored of grammars for indigenous languages for use by priests. The first Nahuatl grammar, written by Andrés de Olmos ,
1160-531: A pirate attack. In 1703, Chocoyos was visited by the Franciscan missionary, Fray Antonio Margil de Jesus and then by Bishop Fray Agustin Morel de Santa Cruz in 1752, when the town was renamed Metapa. In 1856, Metapa was the base for the “Junta de Recursos” formed by Nicaraguan patriots to collect funds for creating the "Ejército del Septentrión" (Northern Army). This army fought against the "Filibustero" troops of
1276-585: A severe earthquake every 50 years or less. Managua features four smaller crater lakes or lagoons within city limits . The most centrally located is the Tiscapa Lagoon in the Tiscapa Lagoon Natural Reserve . Managua, due to its tropical climate, varied topography, rich fertile soils, and abundant rain and water sources, boasts a great variety of flora . Many different types of trees, some of which are not found elsewhere in
SECTION 10
#17327940624921392-482: A single language is highly political. In the past, the branch of Uto-Aztecan to which Nahuatl belongs has been called Aztecan . From the 1990s onward, the alternative designation Nahuan has been frequently used instead, especially in Spanish-language publications. The Nahuan (Aztecan) branch of Uto-Aztecan is widely accepted as having two divisions: General Aztec and Pochutec. General Aztec encompasses
1508-593: A spectrum of Nahuan languages are spoken in scattered areas stretching from the northern state of Durango to Tabasco in the southeast. Pipil, the southernmost Nahuan language, is spoken in El Salvador by a small number of speakers. According to IRIN-International, the Nawat Language Recovery Initiative project, there are no reliable figures for the contemporary numbers of speakers of Pipil. Numbers may range anywhere from "perhaps
1624-628: A typical Nahuan language. In some dialects, the /t͡ɬ/ phoneme, which was common in Classical Nahuatl, has changed into either /t/ , as in Isthmus Nahuatl , Mexicanero and Pipil , or into /l/ , as in Michoacán Nahuatl . Many dialects no longer distinguish between short and long vowels . Some have introduced completely new vowel qualities to compensate, as is the case for Tetelcingo Nahuatl . Others have developed
1740-475: A very long period of development alongside other indigenous Mesoamerican languages , they have absorbed many influences, coming to form part of the Mesoamerican language area . Many words from Nahuatl were absorbed into Spanish and, from there, were diffused into hundreds of other languages in the region. Most of these loanwords denote things indigenous to central Mexico, which the Spanish heard mentioned for
1856-423: A vowel i to prevent consonant clusters and one without it. For example, the absolutive suffix has the variant forms -tli (used after consonants) and -tl (used after vowels). Some modern varieties, however, have formed complex clusters from vowel loss. Others have contracted syllable sequences, causing accents to shift or vowels to become long. Most Nahuatl dialects have stress on the penultimate syllable of
1972-704: A white-washed naked muse , which happens to have superb acoustics. There is also the bust of Professor Josefa Toledo de Aguerri, who was an educator, philanthropist, writer, social activist, and one of the first feminists in the Americas. Also, the tomb of Carlos Fonseca , founder of the FSLN , which is guarded by an eternal flame . Across from the Central Park, on the north side, is the Rubén Darío park and monument, dedicated to Nicaragua's greatest poet and one of
2088-455: A word. In Mexicanero from Durango, many unstressed syllables have disappeared from words, and the placement of syllable stress has become phonemic. The Nahuatl languages are polysynthetic and agglutinative , making extensive use of compounding, incorporation and derivation. Various prefixes and suffixes can be added to a root to form very long words—individual Nahuatl words can constitute an entire sentence.. The following verb shows how
2204-490: Is Nicaragua's cultural capital , boasting several restaurants, theaters, museums, and a few shopping centers. The city is also home to many communities of immigrants and ex-pats from countries including but not limited to Taiwan , China, Germany, the United States, Palestine , and Latin American countries. Managua is home to the annual Miss Nicaragua pageant; it is the national beauty pageant of Nicaragua. The pageant
2320-508: Is a large established local market system that caters to the majority of Nicaraguans. In Mercado Roberto Huembes, Mercado Oriental, Mercado Israel Lewites and other locations one can find anything from household amenities, food, clothing, electronics, construction materials, and other contracting supplies. The markets enjoy a substantial amount of popularity, as many of the backpacking, ecotourism-focused tourists and tourists on-a-budget use these markets for their supplies and souvenirs. Managua
2436-568: Is also Nicaragua's main political, social, cultural, educational and economic hub. At the same time, the city is served by the Augusto C. Sandino International Airport, the country's primary international gateway, and regional Los Brasiles airport and Punta Huete military air base, recently renewed. Managua is also home to all of the major banks of the nation, Banco de la Producción (BANPRO), BAC Credomatic , Banco de Finanzas (BDF), Banco de Crédito Centroamericano (Bancentro) and its parent company
SECTION 20
#17327940624922552-503: Is also applied to the Nawat language of El Salvador and Nicaragua. Regardless of whether Nahuatl is considered to refer to a dialect continuum or a group of separate languages, the varieties form a single branch within the Uto-Aztecan family, descended from a single Proto-Nahuan language . Within Mexico, the question of whether to consider individual varieties to be languages or dialects of
2668-584: Is debated among linguists. Lyle Campbell (1997) classified Pipil as separate from the Nahuatl branch within general Aztecan, whereas dialectologists such as Una Canger , Karen Dakin, Yolanda Lastra , and Terrence Kaufman have preferred to include Pipil within the General Aztecan branch, citing close historical ties with the eastern peripheral dialects of General Aztec. Current subclassification of Nahuatl rests on research by Canger (1980) , Canger (1988) and Lastra de Suárez (1986) . Canger introduced
2784-554: Is designated to promote Nicaraguan culture . The library has 67,000 books, free internet, a newspaper archive, and economic information from the Central Bank. The library also has a gallery in the same building, where notable Nicaraguan paintings, as well as pieces from new promising artists, are exhibited. In the numismatic hall there is a permanent exhibition of Nicaraguan coins, bills, and memorial medals from throughout Nicaragua's history. Cultural centers in Managua include
2900-408: Is just south of Managua's Historical Center. The reserve is located within Managua's city limits, and is a tourist attraction . Restaurants and stores line the walls of the lagoon. Nahuatl Nahuatl ( English: / ˈ n ɑː w ɑː t əl / NAH -wah-təl ; Nahuatl pronunciation: [ˈnaːwat͡ɬ] ), Aztec , or Mexicano is a language or, by some definitions,
3016-459: Is located in west Managua in the Acahualinca neighborhood. In addition to the footprints, the museum also displays artifacts found in other localities around the country. Artifacts such as mammoth footprints, pre-Columbian tools, a skull from León Viejo , and a small collection of pottery, among other archeological objects. Tiscapa Lagoon, located within the Tiscapa Lagoon Natural Reserve
3132-576: Is no longer illegal and no longer carries a prison sentence. Baseball is by far Nicaragua's most popular sport, followed by soccer and boxing . The Dennis Martínez National Stadium is home to many baseball games of Managua's Boer team. At the time of its construction in the late 1960s, it was the most modern stadium in Central America. The baseball league has 34 teams. There has been growing amateur interest in little football or "futbolin" among teens and adults. New private courts have played
3248-426: Is one of the few buildings that survived the 1972 earthquake that destroyed 90% of Managua. Plaza de la Revolución (Revolution Square), formerly known as Plaza de la República (Republic Square) is home to Managua's historic center, located on the shores of Lake Xolotlan . The plaza has been partially rebuilt and many old buildings have been refurbished. Some of the more important buildings which managed to survive
3364-665: Is probably derived from the word nāhuatlahtōlli [naːwat͡ɬaʔˈtoːliˀ] ('clear language'). The language was formerly called Aztec because it was spoken by the Central Mexican peoples known as Aztecs ( Nahuatl pronunciation: [asˈteːkaḁ] ). During the period of the Aztec empire centered in Mexico- Tenochtitlan the language came to be identified with the politically dominant mēxihcah [meːˈʃiʔkaḁ] ethnic group, and consequently
3480-632: Is the only living descendant of the variety of Nahuatl once spoken south of present-day Mexico. During the 7th century, Nahuan speakers rose to power in central Mexico. The people of the Toltec culture of Tula , which was active in central Mexico around the 10th century, are thought to have been Nahuatl speakers. By the 11th century, Nahuatl speakers were dominant in the Valley of Mexico and far beyond, with settlements including Azcapotzalco , Colhuacan and Cholula rising to prominence. Nahua migrations into
3596-501: Is traditionally held at the Rubén Darío National Theatre and has been held since 1955. Managua's most famous festival is that of its patron saint Santo Domingo de Guzmán . It starts on the morning of August 1, when the "Bajada del Santo" (walk down of the saint) involves many joyful people walking and carrying the old statue of Santo Domingo from Las Sierritas Church in south Managua to another church across
Ciudad Darío - Misplaced Pages Continue
3712-829: The 1972 Nicaragua earthquake include the Catedral de Santiago (St. James' Cathedral, known colloquially as the Old Cathedral), the Rubén Darío National Theatre, and the National Palace of Culture. Within the Revolution Square is the Parque Central (Central Park) which contains many historical monuments, some dedicated to national heroes and poets. Some of these include a centrally located Art Deco gazebo crowned with
3828-479: The Isthmus of Tehuantepec call their language mela'tajtol ('the straight language'). Some speech communities use Nahuatl as the name for their language, although it seems to be a recent innovation. Linguists commonly identify localized dialects of Nahuatl by adding as a qualifier the name of the village or area where that variety is spoken. On the issue of geographic origin, the consensus of linguists during
3944-621: The Mexican Plateau , pre-Nahuan groups probably spent a period of time in contact with the Uto-Aztecan Cora and Huichol of northwestern Mexico. The major political and cultural center of Mesoamerica in the Early Classic period was Teotihuacan . The identity of the language(s) spoken by Teotihuacan's founders has long been debated, with the relationship of Nahuatl to Teotihuacan being prominent in that enquiry. It
4060-489: The National Opposition Union began the reconstruction of Managua in earnest. More than 300,000 Nicaraguans returned from abroad bringing their expertise and needed capital. Businesses mushroomed, new housing projects and schools were constructed, the airport was expanded and modernized, streets were widened, older malls were repaired and new ones were built, and buildings were cleaned up. In 2006, after
4176-483: The Neil Armstrong Observatory was completed in Managua. About 18 percent of Nicaragua's total budget is invested in primary, secondary and higher education. University level institutions account for 6% of the 18 percent. The National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN) ( Spanish : Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua ) is the main state-funded public university of Nicaragua. UNAN
4292-571: The Sandinista National Liberation Front came back into power, literacy, health and reconstruction programs were expanded. New governmental buildings, galleries, museums, apartment buildings, squares, promenades, monuments, boat tours on Lake Managua, restaurants, nighttime entertainment, and broad avenues have resurrected part of downtown Managua's former vitality. Commercial activity, however, remains low. Residential and commercial buildings have been constructed on
4408-669: The Zapatista Army of National Liberation and indigenous social movements) led to legislative reforms and the creation of decentralized government agencies like the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI) and the Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas (INALI) with responsibilities for the promotion and protection of indigenous communities and languages. In particular,
4524-470: The sea in the north. On his journey, he brought people on foot and on horses, the number of people ranging potentially from fifty to two hundred.(Indian Archives, Seville, Spain) In 1627, Fray Garcia de Loaysa lured several Matagalpa Indians to settle in this region of Metapa. (Jaime Incer. Viajes, Rutas y Encuentros, p. 254). The town was originally known as Chocoyos, named after a small green parrot that can be seen there in great numbers, and also due to
4640-483: The 16th and 17th centuries. This early literary language based on the Tenochtitlan variety has been labeled Classical Nahuatl . It is among the most studied and best-documented Indigenous languages of the Americas . Today, Nahuan languages are spoken in scattered communities, mostly in rural areas throughout central Mexico and along the coastline. A smaller number of speakers exists in immigrant communities in
4756-519: The 20th century was that the Uto-Aztecan language family originated in the southwestern United States. Evidence from archaeology and ethnohistory supports the thesis of a southward diffusion across the North American continent, specifically that speakers of early Nahuan languages migrated from Aridoamerica into central Mexico in several waves. But recently, the traditional assessment has been challenged by Jane H. Hill , who proposes instead that
Ciudad Darío - Misplaced Pages Continue
4872-506: The 20th century, Mexican educational policy focused on the Hispanicization of indigenous communities, teaching only Spanish and discouraging the use of indigenous languages. As a result, one scholar estimated in 1983 that there was no group of Nahuatl speakers who had attained general literacy (that is, the ability to read the classical language) in Nahuatl, and Nahuatl speakers' literacy rate in Spanish also remained much lower than
4988-466: The American adventurer William Walker , who had proclaimed himself President of Nicaragua. In 1857, Metapa was included in the newly formed Matagalpa Department by the government of General Tomás Martínez . On 1867, Felix Rubén García, later known as Rubén Darío , one of the greatest poets of the Spanish language, was born in Metapa to Rosa Sarmiento. In 1883 Jorge Choiseul Praslin, widely believed to be
5104-573: The Archivo Fílmico de la Cinemateca Nacional. Natural history museums include the Museo del Departamento de Malacología UCA, Museo Gemológico de la Concha y el Caracol, and Museo Paleontológico "El Hato". The Santo Domingo de Guzmán Museum is an anthropology museum. History museums include the Museo de la Revolución, Museo Casa Hacienda San Jacinto and Museo Parque Loma de Tiscapa. The Doctor Roberto Incer Barquero Library, located in Managua,
5220-575: The Central group, while Lastra de Suárez (1986) places them in the Eastern Periphery, which was followed by Kaufman (2001) . The terminology used to describe varieties of spoken Nahuatl is inconsistently applied. Many terms are used with multiple denotations, or a single dialect grouping goes under several names. Sometimes, older terms are substituted with newer ones or with the speakers' own name for their specific variety. The word Nahuatl
5336-993: The Centro Cultural Nicaragüense Norteamericano (CCNN) (Nicaraguan-North American Culture Center), the Centro Cultural Chino Nicaragüense ( Chinese Nicaraguan Culture Center), the Alliance Française de Managua Archived 2007-10-08 at the Wayback Machine (French Alliance of Managua), among others. Managua features many bars , nightclubs , casinos , theaters and cinemas . Compared to western prices, alcoholic beverages, theater visits and cinema tickets are relatively inexpensive. There are cinemas in all major shopping centers; screening both English- and Spanish-language films. Foreign embassies in Managua also sponsor film festivals . Since
5452-588: The Duke Theobald de Choiseul Praslin, who escaped from France in 1847, died in Metapa. On February 20, 1920, Metapa changed its name to Ciudad Darío by a Decree of the Government of President Emiliano Chamorro . In 1943, the house in which Darío was born was declared a national museum. Located near the center of the city, the building retains its original look, despite its restorations since 1999. Every January 18, his birth anniversary, people congregate at
5568-700: The FIBA AmeriCup. The National Palace is one of Managua's oldest buildings, undamaged by the 1972 earthquake. It was commissioned by President Juan Bautista Sacasa in 1935 and built by architect Pablo Dambach, who also built the St. James Cathedral. For more than 50 years, the National Palace housed the Congress. Today, it houses the National Archive , the National Library, as well as
5684-494: The Lafise Group. Several new hotels including Crowne Plaza , Best Western , InterContinental , Holiday Inn , and Hilton currently have facilities in Managua. As well as many hotels, Managua has opened four western style shopping centers or malls, such as Plaza Inter , Centro Comercial Metrocentro , Galerias Santo Domingo [ es ] , and Multicentro Las Americas, with many more being constructed. There
5800-457: The Maya Kʼicheʼ people . As Tenochtitlan grew to become the largest urban center in Central America and one of the largest in the world at the time, it attracted speakers of Nahuatl from diverse areas giving birth to an urban form of Nahuatl with traits from many dialects. This urbanized variety of Tenochtitlan is what came to be known as Classical Nahuatl as documented in colonial times. With
5916-449: The Nahuatl and Pipil languages. Pochutec is a scantily attested language, which became extinct in the 20th century, and which Campbell and Langacker classify as being outside general Aztec. Other researchers have argued that Pochutec should be considered a divergent variant of the western periphery. Nahuatl denotes at least Classical Nahuatl, together with related modern languages spoken in Mexico. The inclusion of Pipil in this group
SECTION 50
#17327940624926032-429: The Nahuatl language was often described as mēxihcacopa [meːʃiʔkaˈkopaˀ] (literally 'in the manner of Mexicas') or mēxihcatlahtolli 'Mexica language'. Now, the term Aztec is rarely used for modern Nahuan languages, but linguists' traditional name of Aztecan for the branch of Uto-Aztecan that comprises Nahuatl, Pipil, and Pochutec is still in use (although some linguists prefer Nahuan ). Since 1978,
6148-715: The National Museum which is open to the public. The museum features pre-Columbian paintings, statues, ceramics, etc. Also part of the exhibit is the Hall of National History and the Hall of National Symbols. The National Palace was one of the few buildings that survived the 1972 earthquake . The Rubén Darío National Theatre is Nicaragua's most important theater, and is one of the most modern theaters in Central America. Both national and international artists present shows, concerts, exhibitions, and cultural performances such as El Güegüense among many others. The National Theatre
6264-503: The New Philology, such that there is a 2001 English translation of Carochi's 1645 grammar by James Lockhart . Through contact with Spanish the Nahuatl language adopted many loan words, and as bilingualism intensified, changes in the grammatical structure of Nahuatl followed. In 1570, King Philip II of Spain decreed that Nahuatl should become the official language of the colonies of New Spain to facilitate communication between
6380-565: The Sierras, has a tropical climate with constant temperatures averaging between 28 and 32 °C (82 and 90 °F). Under Köppen's climate classification , the city has a tropical wet and dry climate ( Aw ). The city spends most of the year seeing strong heat and a bright shining sun. The temperature varies from 72 °F (22.2 °C) at night to 86 °F (30 °C) during the daytime. Temperatures are highest in March, April and May when
6496-462: The Spanish and natives of the colonies. This led to Spanish missionaries teaching Nahuatl to Amerindians living as far south as Honduras and El Salvador. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Classical Nahuatl was used as a literary language; a large corpus dating to the period remains extant. They include histories, chronicles, poetry, theatrical works, Christian canonical works, ethnographic descriptions, and administrative documents. The Spanish permitted
6612-484: The United States has resulted in the establishment of small Nahuatl speaking communities in the United States , particularly in California, New York, Texas , New Mexico and Arizona . Nahuan languages are defined as a subgroup of Uto-Aztecan by having undergone a number of shared changes from the Uto-Aztecan protolanguage (PUA). The table below shows the phonemic inventory of Classical Nahuatl as an example of
6728-492: The United States, some linguists are warning of impending language death . At present Nahuatl is mostly spoken in rural areas by an impoverished class of indigenous subsistence agriculturists. According to the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), 51% of Nahuatl speakers are involved in the farming sector and 6 in 10 receive no wages or less than the minimum wage. For most of
6844-450: The United States. There are considerable differences among varieties, and some are not mutually intelligible . Huasteca Nahuatl , with over one million speakers, is the most-spoken variety. All varieties have been subject to varying degrees of influence from Spanish. No modern Nahuan languages are identical to Classical Nahuatl, but those spoken in and around the Valley of Mexico are generally more closely related to it than those on
6960-494: The Uto-Aztecan language family originated in central Mexico and spread northwards at a very early date. This hypothesis and the analyses of data that it rests upon have received serious criticism. The proposed migration of speakers of the Proto-Nahuan language into the Mesoamerican region has been placed at sometime around AD 500, towards the end of the Early Classic period in Mesoamerican chronology . Before reaching
7076-411: The areas of electronics , computer systems and sciences , agroforestry , construction and trade -related services. The educational system includes 1 United States accredited English language university, 3 bilingual university programs , 5 bilingual secondary schools and dozens of English Language Institutes . In 2005, almost 400,000 (7%) of Nicaraguans held a university degree . In 2014,
SECTION 60
#17327940624927192-657: The arrival of the Spanish in 1519, Nahuatl was displaced as the dominant regional language, but remained important in Nahua communities under Spanish rule. Nahuatl was documented extensively during the colonial period in Tlaxcala , Cuernavaca, Culhuacan, Coyoacan, Toluca and other locations in the Valley of Mexico and beyond. In the 1970s, scholars of Mesoamerican ethnohistory have analyzed local-level texts in Nahuatl and other indigenous languages to gain insight into cultural change in
7308-411: The better-known of which is Nejapa Golf & Country Club. Managua is home to the basketball team Costa Caribe . The team reached the Final Four at the 2016 Liga Centroamericana de clubes de baloncesto . Managua is also home to the Polideportivo Alexis Argüello an indoor arena with 8,500 seat capacity. The venue will host the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup where their national team will make their debut at
7424-527: The centuries preceding the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire , the Aztecs had expanded to incorporate a large part of central Mexico. Their influence caused the variety of Nahuatl spoken by the residents of Tenochtitlan to become a prestige language in Mesoamerica. Following the Spanish conquest, Spanish colonists and missionaries introduced the Latin script , and Nahuatl became a literary language . Many chronicles , grammars, works of poetry, administrative documents and codices were written in it during
7540-458: The city are called managuas , managüenses , or capitalinos . Nicaragua was inhabited by Paleo-Indians as far back as 12,000 BC. The ancient footprints of Acahualinca are 2,100-year-old fossils discovered along the shores of Lake Managua . Other archeological evidence, mainly in the form of ceramics and statues made of volcanic stone, like the ones found on the island of Zapatera , and petroglyphs found on Ometepe island, contribute to
7656-417: The city directed emergency workers to clear away much of the city's ruins quickly while burying the deceased in mass graves. Residences, government buildings and entire avenues were demolished. Escaping the city center, earthquake victims found refuge in the outskirts of the city. To add insult to injury, corruption within the Somoza regime which allocated part of the relief funds hindered the reconstruction of
7772-425: The city is a major economic hub for both the country and Central America. There are two possible origins for the name "Managua". It may have originated from the term Mana-ahuac , which in the Nahuatl language translates to "adjacent to the water" or site "surrounded by water". Or, it may have come from the Mangue language , where the word managua was said to mean "place of the big man" or "chief". Residents of
7888-509: The city to the north, in the area destroyed by the 1972 earthquake. It remains here for ten days until the morning of August 10, when the "Subida del Santo" (walking up of the saint) returns the statue to Las Sierritas Church where it remains for the rest of the year. Thousands of people attend this event which involves dancing, eating, drinking and the marching of musical bands, mainly for traditions that date back to pre-colonial times, or to ask for personal miracles, make promises, or give thanks to
8004-419: The city's center which remains somewhat isolated from the rest of the capital. The Nicaraguan Revolution of 1979 to overthrow the Somoza regime and the 11-year-long Contra War of the 1980s further devastated the city and its economy. To make matters worse, a series of natural disasters, including Hurricane Mitch in 1998, made economic recovery more difficult. After winning the presidential election in 1990,
8120-555: The city. Under the rule of Anastasio Somoza García and his family (1936–1979), the city was rebuilt and began to grow rapidly. New government buildings were erected, industry developed, and universities were established. The city's development caught the attention of Irving Fields and Albert Gamse , who composed a musical piece about the city that became popular in the 1940s through the performances of Freddy Martin , Guy Lombardo and Kay Kyser . Managua had become Central America's most developed city. Today's references differentiate
8236-465: The colonial era via linguistic changes, known at present as the New Philology . Several of these texts have been translated and published either in part or in their entirety. The types of documentation include censuses, especially one early set from the Cuernavaca region, town council records from Tlaxcala, as well as the testimony of Nahua individuals. As the Spanish had made alliances with Nahuatl-speaking peoples—initially from Tlaxcala , and later
8352-570: The colonial period, but their quality was highest in the initial period. The friars found that learning all the indigenous languages was impossible in practice, so they concentrated on Nahuatl. For a time, the linguistic situation in Mesoamerica remained relatively stable, but in 1696, Charles II of Spain issued a decree banning the use of any language other than Spanish throughout the Spanish Empire . In 1770, another decree, calling for
8468-437: The conquered Mexica of Tenochtitlan—Nahuatl continued spreading throughout Mesoamerica in the decades after the conquest. Spanish expeditions with thousands of Nahua soldiers marched north and south to conquer new territories. Jesuit missions in what is now northern Mexico and the southwestern United States often included a barrio of Tlaxcaltec soldiers who remained to guard the mission. For example, some fourteen years after
8584-501: The custom of the locals to build their homes from green branches. During the Spanish colonial times the town which is along the route to the mountain towns of Matagalpa and Nueva Segovia regions, was an important resting place for missionaries and troops that were on their way to the interior of the country, . In 1685, the Bishop of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Fray Ramon Rojas, died in Metapa (then called Chocoyos), exhausted after escaping from
8700-476: The elimination of the indigenous languages, did away with Classical Nahuatl as a literary language. Until the end of the Mexican War of Independence in 1821, the Spanish courts admitted Nahuatl testimony and documentation as evidence in lawsuits, with court translators rendering it in Spanish. Throughout the modern period the situation of indigenous languages has grown increasingly precarious in Mexico, and
8816-704: The federal Ley General de Derechos Lingüísticos de los Pueblos Indígenas ['General Law on the Language Rights of the Indigenous Peoples', promulgated 13 March 2003] recognizes all the country's indigenous languages, including Nahuatl, as national languages and gives indigenous people the right to use them in all spheres of public and private life. In Article 11, it grants access to compulsory intercultural bilingual education . Nonetheless, progress towards institutionalizing Nahuatl and securing linguistic rights for its speakers has been slow. Today,
8932-418: The first time by their Nahuatl names. English has also absorbed words of Nahuatl origin , including avocado , chayote , chili , chipotle , chocolate , atlatl , coyote , peyote , axolotl and tomato . These words have since been adopted into dozens of languages around the world. The names of several countries, Mexico, Guatemala and possibly Nicaragua , derive from Nahuatl. As
9048-718: The greatest in the country. There is also a park dedicated to the Guatemalan writer Miguel Ángel Asturias . Other monuments include the monument of El Guerrillero sin Nombre (The Nameless Guerrilla Soldier) and Monumento à la Paz (Monument for Peace). Managua is also home to Museo Sitio Huellas de Acahualinca (the Museum of Acahualinca), where the Ancient footprints of Acahualinca , fossilized Paleo American footprints made 2,100 years ago, are engraved in volcanic ash. The museum
9164-518: The house for poetry readings, dance performances, and other cultural activities. Managua Managua ( Spanish pronunciation: [maˈnaɣwa] ) is the capital and largest city of Nicaragua , and one of the largest cities in Central America . Located on the shores of Lake Managua , the city had an estimated population of 1,055,247 as of 2020, and a population of 1,401,687 in its metropolitan area . The city also serves as
9280-481: The increasing knowledge of Nicaragua's ancient history. Founded as a pre-Columbian fishing town, the city was incorporated in 1819 and given the name Leal Villa de Santiago de Managua . Efforts to make Managua the capital of Nicaragua began in 1824, after the Central American nations formally attained their independence from Spain. Nicaragua became an independent nation in 1838. Managua's location between
9396-477: The late 1990s and early 2000, many casinos and karaoke bars opened and have remained popular attractions for Nicaraguans and foreign visitors. Popular music includes the Palo de Mayo , Merengue , Cumbia and Latin pop among other Latin music genres, as well as American pop and rock . Salsa dancing is a national pastime. Managua boasts a vibrant night life. Nightclubs and bars are abound in Managua, particularly, in
9512-554: The march of the Carnival Queen. During the Santo Domingo festival some people cover themselves in a mix of grease and motor oil to pay promises to the saints while others wear masks and costumes. The National Library holds a great amount of volumes and affords abundant bibliographic information about the discovery and independence of Nicaragua . The National Palace of Culture has an exhibition of Nicaraguan art from
9628-470: The most influential literary figures of the Spanish-speaking world. It is a neo-classical monument which consists of a round pedestal, topped by a balustrade surrounding a fountain containing a gondola filled with singing cherubs , and at the center, a pillar topped with a statue of Darío dressed in a Roman tunic protected by an angel. Constructed of Carrara marble , Darío's monument is one of
9744-546: The nation's prestigious universities and higher education institutions based there. In 2007, after a successful literacy campaign , Managua was declared by the Mayor of Managua and the Sandinista party newspaper to be the first capital city in Central America to be rid of illiteracy . Nicaragua's higher education system consists of 48 universities and 113 colleges , vocational and technical institutes which serve students in
9860-555: The national average. Nahuatl is spoken by over 1 million people, with approximately 10% of speakers being monolingual . As a whole, Nahuatl is not considered to be an endangered language; however, during the late 20th century several Nahuatl dialects became extinct. The 1990s saw radical changes in Mexican policy concerning indigenous and linguistic rights. Developments of accords in the international rights arena combined with domestic pressures (such as social and political agitation by
9976-442: The northeastern city of Saltillo was founded in 1577, a Tlaxcaltec community was resettled in a separate nearby village, San Esteban de Nueva Tlaxcala , to cultivate the land and aid colonization efforts that had stalled in the face of local hostility to the Spanish settlement. Pedro de Alvarado conquered Guatemala with the help of tens of thousands of Tlaxcaltec allies, who then settled outside of modern Antigua Guatemala . As
10092-429: The numbers of speakers of virtually all indigenous languages have dwindled. While the total number of Nahuatl speakers increased over the 20th century, indigenous populations have become increasingly marginalized in Mexican society. In 1895, Nahuatl was spoken by over 5% of the population. By 2000, this figure had fallen to 1.49%. Given the process of marginalization combined with the trend of migration to urban areas and to
10208-447: The old city center and the rest of the mainland. Managua is located on the southern shores of Lake Managua , also known as Lake Xolotlán. Lake Managua contains the same fish species as larger Lake Cocibolca in southeastern Nicaragua, except for the freshwater sharks found exclusively in the latter. Once a Managuan scenic highlight, the lake has been polluted from the dumping of chemical and waste water since 1927. A new sewer system and
10324-614: The outskirts of the city, in the same locales that were once used as refugee camps for those who were homeless after the earthquake. These booming locales have been of concern to the government because of their close proximity to Lake Managua. The construction of a new sewer system and the redirecting of waste water to a new water treatment plant at Las Mercedes in Eastern Managua in May 2009 relieved old concerns over water pollution and native wildlife, and brought some residents closer to
10440-686: The periphery. Under Mexico's General Law of Linguistic Rights of the Indigenous Peoples , promulgated in 2003, Nahuatl and the other 63 indigenous languages of Mexico are recognized as lenguas nacionales ('national languages') in the regions where they are spoken. They are given the same status as Spanish within their respective regions. Nahuan languages exhibit a complex morphology , or system of word formation, characterized by polysynthesis and agglutination . This means that morphemes – words or fragments of words that each contain their own separate meaning – are often strung together to make longer complex words. Through
10556-453: The place of articulation of a following consonant. The voiceless alveolar lateral affricate [t͡ɬ] is assimilated after /l/ and pronounced [l] . Classical Nahuatl and most of the modern varieties have fairly simple phonological systems. They allow only syllables with maximally one initial and one final consonant. Consonant clusters occur only word-medially and over syllable boundaries. Some morphemes have two alternating forms: one with
10672-535: The popular areas called "Zona Viva" located in the shopping mall "Galerías Santo Domingo", as well as very close by "Plaza Mi Viejo Santo Domingo" and "Plaza Familiar". Other popular areas are "Zona Hippos" behind the Hilton hotel near Metrocentro and "Zona Rosa". Although promoting or practicing homosexuality was illegal in Nicaragua, there is a modest gay social scene in Managua. As of March 2008, homosexuality
10788-575: The possibility that other Mesoamerican languages were borrowing vocabulary from Proto-Nahuan much earlier than previously thought. In Mesoamerica the Mayan , Oto-Manguean and Mixe–Zoque languages had coexisted for millennia. This had given rise to the Mesoamerican language area . After the Nahuas migrated into the Mesoamerican cultural zone, their language likely adopted various areal traits, which included relational nouns and calques added to
10904-458: The pre-1970s Managua by labeling it as La Antigua Ciudad, which in English translates to "The Ancient City" or "The Old City". Managua's progress came to a sudden halt after it suffered a second major earthquake on December 23, 1972, which destroyed 90% of the city's downtown and killed more than 19,120 people. Infrastructure was severely damaged and rehabilitation or restoration of buildings
11020-452: The redirecting of waste water to a new waste water treatment plant at Las Mercedes funded by the German government to decontaminate the lake was expected to be the largest in Central America and was inaugurated in 2009. These works of progress have relieved old concerns over water pollution and the endangering of native wildlife have brought some residents closer to the old city center and
11136-571: The region from the north continued into the Postclassic period . The Mexica were among the latest groups to arrive in the Valley of Mexico; they settled on an island in the Lake Texcoco , subjugated the surrounding tribes, and ultimately an empire named Tenochtitlan . Mexica political and linguistic influence ultimately extended into Central America, and Nahuatl became a lingua franca among merchants and elites in Mesoamerica, such as with
11252-474: The rest of the mainland. Managua's city area extends about 544 square kilometers (210 square miles), essentially south from the south shore of Lake Managua. The lakeshore is at an altitude of 55 meters (180 feet) above sea level , and the city climbs as it gets towards the Sierras de Managua further south where it is over 700 meters (2,297 feet) above sea level. Geologically, the city lies on fault lines, thus seismologists predict that Managua will experience
11368-404: The rival cities of León and Granada made it a logical compromise site. Hence, Managua was officially selected as the nation's capital in 1852. Between 1852 and 1930, Managua underwent extensive urbanization, becoming a base of governance, infrastructure and services. The city was hampered by major floods in 1876 and 1885. A disastrous earthquake in 1931 and large fire in 1936 destroyed much of
11484-462: The saint. During the parade many people dress up in typical costumes, masks and painted bodies. Another festival taking place since 2003 is the Alegria por la Vida (Happiness for Life) Carnaval is celebrated in Managua at the beginning of the month of March. There is a different slogan or theme every year. This event is celebrated with parades , floats , live music, food and dancing as well as
11600-662: The scheme of a Central grouping and two Peripheral groups, and Lastra confirmed this notion, differing in some details. Canger & Dakin (1985) demonstrated a basic split between Eastern and Western branches of Nahuan, considered to reflect the oldest division of the proto-Nahuan speech community. Canger originally considered the central dialect area to be an innovative subarea within the Western branch, but in 2011, she suggested that it arose as an urban koiné language with features from both Western and Eastern dialect areas. Canger (1988) tentatively included dialects of La Huasteca in
11716-415: The seat of Managua Department . Founded in 1819, Managua became the national capital in 1852. The city underwent a rapid expansion and urbanization between 1842 and 1930, leading it to become one of the most developed cities in Central America. Several earthquakes have affected the city's growth, especially the 1931 earthquake and the 1972 earthquake , but the city has been rebuilt several times. Today,
11832-670: The states of Puebla , Veracruz , Hidalgo , San Luis Potosí , and Guerrero . Significant populations are also found in the State of Mexico , Morelos , and the Federal District , with smaller communities in Michoacán and Durango . Nahuatl became extinct in the states of Jalisco and Colima during the 20th century. As a result of internal migration within the country, Nahuatl speaking communities exist in all states in Mexico. The modern influx of Mexican workers and families into
11948-401: The sun lies directly overhead and the summer rainfall has yet to begin. As stated before Managua only has two seasons, the dry and the rainy. The rainy season occurs between mid-May and mid-November, while the dry-season occurs between mid-November and the middle or end of May. During the dry season the countryside gets dull and even dusty. Managua is the national education center, with most of
12064-755: The term General Aztec has been adopted by linguists to refer to the languages of the Aztecan branch excluding the Pochutec language . Speakers of Nahuatl generally refer to their language as either Mexicano or with a cognate derived from mācēhualli , the Nahuatl word for 'commoner'. One example of the latter is the Nahuatl spoken in Tetelcingo , Morelos, whose speakers call their language mösiehuali . The Pipil people of El Salvador refer to their language as Nāwat . The Nahuas of Durango call their language Mexicanero . Speakers of Nahuatl of
12180-494: The time previous to its independence. Inside the National Palace of Culture is the National Museum, containing archeological finds with some examples of pre-Columbian pottery, statues, and other findings. Managua is home to an array of art galleries which feature pieces by both national and international artists. Managua is home to many types of museums, some art museums include the Julio Cortázar Museum and
12296-684: The top ten international business schools by The Wall Street Journal in 2006. Managua is the economic center and a generator of services for the majority of the nation. The city, with a population exceeding one million inhabitants, houses many large national and international businesses. It is home to many factories which produce diverse products. Multinational companies such as Wal-Mart , Telefonica , Union Fenosa , and Parmalat have offices and operations in Managua. The city's chief products include beer, coffee, pharmaceuticals, textiles, shoes, matches, construction products, etc. The main trading products are beef, coffee, cotton, and other crops. Managua
12412-464: The total Nahuatl speaking population, at 24.2% and 22.6%, respectively. For most other states the percentage of monolinguals among the speakers is less than 5%. This means that in most states more than 95% of the Nahuatl speaking population are bilingual in Spanish. According to one study, how often Nahuatl is used is linked to community well-being, partly because it is tied to positive emotions. The largest concentrations of Nahuatl speakers are found in
12528-456: The vocabulary, and a distinctly Mesoamerican grammatical construction for indicating possession. A language which was the ancestor of Pochutec split from Proto-Nahuan (or Proto-Aztecan) possibly as early as AD 400, arriving in Mesoamerica a few centuries earlier than the bulk of Nahuan speakers. Some Nahuan groups migrated south along the Central American isthmus, reaching as far as Nicaragua. The critically endangered Pipil language of El Salvador
12644-516: The voiced consonants are devoiced in word-final position and in consonant clusters: /j/ devoices to a palato-alveolar sibilant /ʃ/ , /w/ devoices to a glottal fricative [h] or to a labialized velar approximant [ʍ] , and /l/ devoices to a fricative [ɬ] . In some dialects, the first consonant in almost any consonant cluster becomes [h] . Some dialects have productive lenition of voiceless consonants into their voiced counterparts between vowels. The nasals are normally assimilated to
12760-403: The world, appear, including chilamate s, ceibo s, pochote s, genízaro s, tigüilote s, royal palms , piñuela s and madroño s (Nicaragua's national tree ) surround the city. During the rainy season (May to November), Managua becomes a lush city due to many palms , bushes , and other plants and trees which dominate the city's appearance. Managua, like much of Western Nicaragua, except for
12876-543: Was established in 1812 in the city of León and its main campus is located in Managua. By government decree in 1983 the campus of the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in León and Managua, became two separate entities; UNAN and UNAN-León . The Polytechnic University of Nicaragua (UPOLI) ( Spanish : Universidad Politécnica de Nicaragua ) is a university located in Managua, Nicaragua. It
12992-485: Was founded in 1967. The INCAE Business School ( Spanish : Instituto Centroamericano de Administración de Empresas, INCAE ) is a private business school . INCAE was founded in 1964 with the support of the United States government and other Central American countries. According to a study done by América Economía INCAE ranked as the number one business school in Latin America in 2004 and 2005 and ranked in
13108-414: Was nearly impossible and at the time, Managua's limited resources had to be directed to other disaster relief purposes. Managua's ability to cope with the disaster was also limited. Surviving fire squadrons and ambulance companies were not able to handle the skyrocketing demand for their services. Some buildings burned to the ground, while the foundations of others simply gave way. Not able to rebuild quickly,
13224-484: Was originally inhabited by Matagalpa Indians , whose main settlement was located in the vicinity of the lagoon of Moyua . It was here that archaeologists discovered pre-colonial stone columns which may have belonged to a temple. In the year 1528, the Spanish seem to have found some small Indian villages. The Acting Governor, Diego de Castañeda ordered captain Gabriel de Rojas to search for a passage from this location to
13340-452: Was presumed by scholars during the 19th and early 20th centuries that Teotihuacan had been founded by Nahuatl-speakers of, but later linguistic and archaeological research tended to disconfirm this view. Instead, the timing of the Nahuatl influx was seen to coincide more closely with Teotihuacan's fall than its rise, and other candidates such as Totonacan identified as more likely. In the late 20th century, epigraphical evidence has suggested
13456-493: Was published in 1547—3 years before the first grammar in French, and 39 years before the first one in English. By 1645, four more had been published, authored respectively by Alonso de Molina (1571), Antonio del Rincón (1595), Diego de Galdo Guzmán (1642), and Horacio Carochi (1645). Carochi's is today considered the most important colonial-era grammar of Nahuatl. Carochi has been particularly important for scholars working in
#491508