The Flowers of Ataco
El Salvador
In the West of the country, between mountains and important elevations above sea level, the Cordillera de Apaneca stands out, reaching an approximate height of two thousand three hundred and eighty-one meters above sea level. Concepción de Ataco is part of the famous Ruta de las Flores where five municipalities in the Department of Ahuachapán such as Apaneca, Juayúa, Salcoatitán and Nahuizalco, interconnect by a road known as the Ruta de Las Flores. During a trip along this road you can see sunflowers and an endless number of different species of flowers.
Ataco is a very colorful town rich with old infrastructures and just a few kilometers away from Vivero La Flores where they grow and export Chinese Heart, Ferns and Birds of Paradise. These are the names of the flower species in this place where the cultivation is immense and is found at the top of Apaneca.
Flowers are sold here. Tourists and merchants come from everywhere to buy and resell them. They are popular for Valentine’s Day when the flower nursery is full of people ordering, carrying and making flower arrangements.
Exports go to Europe where the owners already have huge orders to which they give special treatment so that they arrive still natural and fresh. Several blocks of fresh land are used for this type of plant that produces flowers all year round. This city is known for its beautiful supply of flowers for locals, and is also the only one that sells abroad because it specializes in already indicated and well-known flowers that are delicate and do not grow so easily anywhere.
For example, it is believed that the Chinese Heart flower is the perfect decoration for work, since it transmits tranquility and peace in the environment, which is why many buy them to have them in their workplace. And it is said that they are flowers that are worth giving and having very close.
It is a plant that demands good humidity in the environment to keep its leaves healthy. A compelling reason to spray them with non-calcareous water, and always preventing them from getting soaked. Whether we live in a dry climate or during the winter months, it doesn’t hurt to constantly give it that moisture it needs.
On the other hand, another of the highly sold flowers that is grown in this nursery is the Bird of Paradise and it is said that in South African customs it is believed that it is a supreme representation of paradise due to everything that its shape and colors transmit, hence its peculiar name. They also represent paradise for the “flight of the bird” and the freedom of those who like it that brings them a little closer to God or the divine. The flower is shaped like a bird.
La Ruta de Las Flores includes the six picturesque town of Nahuizalco, Salcoatitan, Juayua, Apaneca, Concepción de Ataco, and Achuachapan. One of the most popular destinations in El Salvador, the road travels through the western mountainous region of the country. These towns are located in the departments of Sonsonate and Ahuachapan. While neighboring close to each other, each town holds its own unique, visible heritage notable in their customs, traditions, and history.
When traveling along the route, visitors will find excellent cuisine, a great climate, and beautiful landscapes. Also, you will find local shops filled with souvenirs, remarkable cultural traditions, beautiful murals, and much more.
The population of Ataco has pre-Columbian origins and was created by Nahuas from Kuskatan in the center of the Sierra de Apaneca. On July 5, 1586, Fray Alonso Ponce, during his visit to the Franciscan convents between Mexico and Nicaragua as general commissioner of the Order of San Francisco, passed through Ataco after leaving Apaneca. According to the friar, the town was a frequented space by clerics.
Archbishop Don Pedro Cortés y Larraz, recalled that Ataco belonged to the parish of Ahuachapán in 1770, and its population was represented by 303 families with 784 indigenous people who spoke the Náuhat language. These communities also spoke and understood Spanish.
In the colonial period, Ataco belonged to the administration of the province of Izalco or Mayoralty of Sonsonate. Ataco is one of the few places in El Salvador where you can see cobblestoned streets, a legacy of the colonial period.
Access to Ataco is through La Ruta de las Flores (CA-8), 5 km from Apaneca in the direction of Ahuachapán. To get there by bus, board Route 249 from the Sonsonate terminal. This bus will leave you at the entrance of the city.
Mauricio Alexander Cáceres García | Correspondent for El Salvador & Latin AmericaMauricio Alexander Cáceres García is a Correspondent for Latina Republic focused on El Salvador and Latin America. He is a renowned Photojournalist and Documentarian from El Salvador. Migration is personal to him. His father and family moved to the United States as migrants. His work showcases the power of human stories. Among his specializations, Cáceres has reported on “The migrant route” of the Guatemalan border, Mexico and the United States. He personally completed the migrant route to the US on four occasions. Cáceres has a degree in Migration from the Universidad de Centro América, UCA. Cáceres has served as an Editor of the newspaper Más, EDH and elsalvador.com. He has extensive experience in national and international news coverage, studied journalism and has won several photography awards throughout Latin America, including second place in a photographic contest centered on the migrant woman, and earning the Santa Clara de Asís prize for his report on the migrant route.
