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Nicaragua Travel |
Nicargua HistoryNicaragua history – NicaraoWe know very little about early Nicaragua history and the people who first inhabited the various regions that would eventually become the state of Nicaragua. When the Spanish arrived, they named the land after chief Nicarao who ruled over a piece of land located between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean. The name Nicaragua is derived from his name and the Spanish name for water – agua. The population ruled by Chief Nicarao was referred to by the Spanish as Nicaraos or Niquiranos. They spoke Nahuatl, a language indigenous to central Mexico. Nahuatl belongs to the Aztecan branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family and Classical Nahuatl was the administrative language of the Aztec empire. This is of course a very exciting fact for those studying Nicaragua history, since it provides us with important clues regarding the origin of the Nicaraos. Most experts agree that the Nicarao ancestors migrated south to Nicaragua after the fall of Teotthuacán which took place between the 8th and 5th century A.D. Teotthuacán was located roughly 40 km (25 miles) northeast of present day Mexico City. It was once the largest city in the Americas and formed the centre of a Central Mexican civilization that influenced most of Mesoamerica. Its decline from power coincided with, or was brought on/reinforced by, climate changes that caused extensive droughts and famine in the area during 6th century A.D. According to Nicarao oral history, the religious leaders of the Niquiranos tribe told them to travel south from Teotthuacán until they reached a lake with two volcanoes rising out of the water. This is of course Lake Nicaragua with the distinctive twin-island of Ometepe. Nicaragua history is therefore closely linked to Mexican history. Nicaragua history – MiskitoAs mentioned above, the Nicarao tribe only inhabited a part of what would one day become Nicaragua and Nicaragua history is the history of many other indigenous peoples with their own pasts and cultural traditions. The Caribbean coast of Nicaragua has for instance since long been inhabited by Miskito Indians. It is today known as the Mosquito Coast, since European settlers misunderstood the word Miskito and pronounced it Mosquito. There are several tribes of Miskito Indians, some native to present day Nicaragua and some native to present day Honduras. The traditional Miskito society had a defined political structure and power was split between a king, a governor and a general. By the 1750’s, and admiral had also been installed. Spanish settlers arrived to Miskito territory comparatively late, in the 1780s. Long after their arrival, the territory was still controlled by the Miskito due to their experienced military forces and the inaccessible environment characteristic of this part of Nicaragua. When researching Nicaragua history it is hard to find reliable information regarding the Miskito kings, since it is difficult to separate true incidents from myth and legend. The Miskitos spoke Miskito, a language belonging to the Misumalpan language group. Misumalpan languages are only spoken along the east coast of Honduras and Nicaragua and a few nearby areas. Today, many people in this area speak Miskito creole English instead of.
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