Mahates
Encyclopedia
Mahates is a river town and municipality
located in the Bolívar Department
, northern Colombia
. The town of Mahates was founded on April 17, 1533 by Spanish
conquistador
Pedro de Heredia
.
The municipality of Mahates also covers the village of Palenque de San Basilio, inhabited mainly by Afro-Colombian
s which are direct descendants of African slaves brought by the Spanish
during the Colonization of the Americas and have preserved their ancestral traditions. In 2005 the Palenque de San Basilio village was proclaimed Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO
.
after founding Cartagena de Indias. In 1538 is given in encomienda
to his son, Antonio de Heredia who transfer the property to Luis Pelo de Águila who finally erected the parish. Due to its rapid increase on population Mahates quickly became a village and political chiefdom of the municipality and First Instance Court until the end of the 19th Century.
In 1650 the Canal del Dique
was built and Mahates became an obliged pass for commercial routes passing by the area. Through the history of Colombia Mahates has been a division, named as Partition, Cantón, Province, District of Province and Municipality.
In 1860 two thirds of the village of Mahates were destroyed by a fire when Mahates was part of the Sovereign State of Bolívar, Granadine Confederation
and capital of the Province of Mahates, which also included today's municipalities of Calamar
and Arjona
, then districts.
In 1865 the Province of Mahates is demoted to a lower terrotorial category, also losing territory. With the construction of the railway between Cartagena de Indias and Calamar
in 1894 the transportation of commercial goods over the river lost importance and Mahates became less strategically important. Later, with the construction of the highway set to pass through the town of Mahates is then deviated 10 km away from the town.
and Arroyo Hondo
to the east, the municipality of Soplaviento
to the northeast, San Estanislao
to the north, Arjona
to the west, Maria La Baja
to the southwest and the municipality of San Juan Nepomuceno
covering a total of 466 km².
s, Whites
and indigenous people
. In the village of Palenque de San Basilio the totality of its inhabitants are purely black and still preserve customs and language from their African ancestors.
The Major of Mahates's main functions include:
Municipalities of Colombia
The Municipalities of Colombia are decentralized subdivisions of the Republic of Colombia. Municipalities make up most of the departments of Colombia with 1,119 municipalities...
located in the Bolívar Department
Bolívar Department
Bolívar is a department of Colombia. It was named after one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. It is located to the north of the country, extending from the coast at Cartagena near the mouth of the Magdalena River, then south along the river to a border with Antioquia.Its...
, northern Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. The town of Mahates was founded on April 17, 1533 by Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
Pedro de Heredia
Pedro de Heredia
Pedro de Heredia, Spanish conqueror, founder of the city Cartagena de Indias, in Colombia.Noble from birth, for being involved in many brawls he was forced to leave Spain. He established himself in La Española. Later on, he accepted the job of lieutenant offered by the governor of Santa Marta,...
.
The municipality of Mahates also covers the village of Palenque de San Basilio, inhabited mainly by Afro-Colombian
Afro-Colombian
Afro Colombians refers to Colombians of African ancestry, and the great impact they have had on Colombian culture. Notable Afro-Colombians include Colombian scientists like Raul Cuero, writers like Manuel Zapata Olivella and politicians:...
s which are direct descendants of African slaves brought by the Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
during the Colonization of the Americas and have preserved their ancestral traditions. In 2005 the Palenque de San Basilio village was proclaimed Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
History
The town of Mahates was founded in 1533 by Pedro de HerediaPedro de Heredia
Pedro de Heredia, Spanish conqueror, founder of the city Cartagena de Indias, in Colombia.Noble from birth, for being involved in many brawls he was forced to leave Spain. He established himself in La Española. Later on, he accepted the job of lieutenant offered by the governor of Santa Marta,...
after founding Cartagena de Indias. In 1538 is given in encomienda
Encomienda
The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....
to his son, Antonio de Heredia who transfer the property to Luis Pelo de Águila who finally erected the parish. Due to its rapid increase on population Mahates quickly became a village and political chiefdom of the municipality and First Instance Court until the end of the 19th Century.
In 1650 the Canal del Dique
Canal del Dique
The Canal del Dique is a 118 km canal connecting Cartagena Bay to the Magdalena River in the Bolívar Department in northern Colombia. The river port is Calamar...
was built and Mahates became an obliged pass for commercial routes passing by the area. Through the history of Colombia Mahates has been a division, named as Partition, Cantón, Province, District of Province and Municipality.
In 1860 two thirds of the village of Mahates were destroyed by a fire when Mahates was part of the Sovereign State of Bolívar, Granadine Confederation
Granadine Confederation
The Granadine Confederation was a short-lived federal republic established in 1858 as a result of a constitutional change replacing the Republic of New Granada. It comprised the present day nations of Colombia and Panama...
and capital of the Province of Mahates, which also included today's municipalities of Calamar
Calamar
Calamar is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. The town is situated on the Magdalena River at the entrance of the Canal del Dique....
and Arjona
Arjona
Arjona is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. It's close to Cartagena de Indias.-Famous People From Arjona:*Ernesto Frieri, professional baseball player...
, then districts.
In 1865 the Province of Mahates is demoted to a lower terrotorial category, also losing territory. With the construction of the railway between Cartagena de Indias and Calamar
Calamar
Calamar is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. The town is situated on the Magdalena River at the entrance of the Canal del Dique....
in 1894 the transportation of commercial goods over the river lost importance and Mahates became less strategically important. Later, with the construction of the highway set to pass through the town of Mahates is then deviated 10 km away from the town.
Geography
The municipality of Mahates is located in the northern part of the Bolivar Department, bordering with the municipalities of CalamarCalamar
Calamar is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. The town is situated on the Magdalena River at the entrance of the Canal del Dique....
and Arroyo Hondo
Arroyo Hondo, Bolívar
Arroyo Hondo is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia....
to the east, the municipality of Soplaviento
Soplaviento
Soplaviento is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia....
to the northeast, San Estanislao
San Estanislao, Bolívar
San Estanislao de Kostka is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia.San Estanislao is also informally known as Arenal by the locals, Arenal is Spanish for "sand", which earned its nickname in result that the town accumulates high amounts of sand during rain and...
to the north, Arjona
Arjona
Arjona is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. It's close to Cartagena de Indias.-Famous People From Arjona:*Ernesto Frieri, professional baseball player...
to the west, Maria La Baja
Maria La Baja
María La Baja is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia.-History:María La Baja was founded by Alonso de Heredia on December 8, 1535.-Geography and climate:...
to the southwest and the municipality of San Juan Nepomuceno
San Juan Nepomuceno, Bolívar
San Juan Nepomuceno is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. It is named after Saint John of Nepomuk...
covering a total of 466 km².
Ethnic composition
The population in the municipality of Mahates is mostly mestiza, produced by Afro-ColombianAfro-Colombian
Afro Colombians refers to Colombians of African ancestry, and the great impact they have had on Colombian culture. Notable Afro-Colombians include Colombian scientists like Raul Cuero, writers like Manuel Zapata Olivella and politicians:...
s, Whites
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
and indigenous people
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
. In the village of Palenque de San Basilio the totality of its inhabitants are purely black and still preserve customs and language from their African ancestors.
Population
Because the municipality has and agricultural economy, the majority of the population lives in the rural area (%62.39) the rest in the urban area (%37.61). In 1985 the population of the municipality totalled 18,831 people. In the 1993 general census, Mahates decreased its population to 18,412 people.Government
The municipality of Mahates is governed by a popularly elected Mayor and represents the maximum authority of the executive branch of power in the municipality. The mayor is a direct representative of the Governor of Bolívar Department for the municipality. The legislative branch is represented by a popularly elected Municipal Council. The judicial branch is represented by sectional courts, judges and attorneys.The Major of Mahates's main functions include:
- Abide and make abide by the Colombian Constitution of 1991Colombian Constitution of 1991The Political Constitution of Colombia, better known as the Constitution of 1991, is the current governing document of the Republic of Colombia. Promulgated on July 4 of 1991 , it replaced the Constitution of 1886...
, the law, decrees by the government, ordenances and accords with the municipal council. - Preserve the public order in accordance with laws and instructions ordered by the President of ColombiaPresident of ColombiaThe President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
. - Suppress or fusion municipality entities and dependencies in accordance with respective needs.
Town of Mahates Neighborhoods
- 12th of October
- 16th of May
- 7th of August
- Centella
- El Campo
- El Puente
- La Concepcion
- La Guayana
- La Loma
- La Vera
- Remanso de Paz
- Santander
Corregimientos
- Evitar
- Gamero
- Malagana
- Mandinga
- San Basilio de PalenqueSan Basilio de PalenqueSan Basilio de Palenque or Palenque de San Basilio is a Palenque village and corregimiento in the Municipality of Mahates, Bolivar in northern Colombia. In 2005 the village was declared Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO...
- San Joaquin