How much joy and desire to get involved is felt, when going up the road that goes from La Flecha, en route to La Lagunita, before Quebrada Seca, encountering a beautiful Andean landscape, which can be seen on the right side, and is known Like “San Pedro”, with leafy mountains, it is almost a tourist postcard. The diversity of crops, with farmers working, each one proud of their performance, provokes a feeling that nourishes our spirituality, along with the freshness of the penetrating beauty of the place, its mountains, ravines, its history, its secrets, collective feelings , customs and traditions, as well as the internal roads, most of them on a slope, confirm the significant appreciation that Bishop Mariano Martí gave it, when he passed by in 1777. A generous Andean landscape.
Its minimal history
Creole historians agree that the most precise data about the origin and development of our Andean towns and sites were established by Bishop Dr. Mariano Martí, in his pastoral visit of 1777. In his meticulous work, he gives a historical account of the sites “El Portachuelo” and “San Martín”, and along with these, what he called “Mesa de San Pedro”, considered to have good relief, climate, population and economic importance, for that time, along with (Briceño Perozo, 94), having as its axis the Town of Doctrine of San Pablo de Bomboy. This first piece of information defines the colonial and religious place name, as well as the economic and social reason, to highlight the review of this site, by said Prelate.
The history of this possession “San Pedro” is linked to the La Bastida family, descendant of the founder of the city of Trujillo, Captain Francisco de La Bastida, highlighting the independence hero Dr. and Captain Francisco Antonio La Bastida Briceño, first Constituent of La Puerta in 1811, who gave impetus to the wheat fields of this valley, and brought the first three coffee plants to the Andes. When this Francisco died, his widow, Mrs. Asunción Vetancourt, married his cousin and foreman of the “San Francisco” hacienda, Pedro Fernández Carrasquero, who managed to preserve the productivity of that family’s lands, among others, those of the “San Pedro” possession, wheat and livestock farm. There is a curious fact, when Bishop Mariano Martí visited La Puerta in 1777, he observed and liked this flourishing possession, even with the prospect of turning it into a main site. (Briceño Perozo, 94), what he noted. Therefore, it is quite likely that this is the reason for having put the indigenous people by name in their Pastoral Visit Report, > (Briceño Perozo, 96); instead of the one he had been using: San Pablo de Bomboy, that is, it seems that it was intentional, and not, a mistake.
And a curiosity arose from the place: the unique “Chucumbete”
Later, in the seventh decade of the 19th century, it began to be called “Chucumbete”, although the original place name (San Pedro) refused to disappear from the oral memory of the area.
Regarding this hidden name of the possession, in the data search, it appears registered as the Main Site of the La Puerta parish, in the 1875 Census, not as a hamlet, neighborhood or town. (Statistical Notes of the Trujillo state. page 142); Likewise, in the 1883 Census, it appears as a neighborhood, with 37 inhabitants (Gazetteer of Venezuela. Volume I, page 309. Caracas. 1883).
Our collaborator and expert in this area, Antonio Lino Rivero, testified that, > (Data sent by Antonio Lino Rivero. January 27, 2023), where the Media Loma begins.
Rivero himself specified that, > (Idem); In relation to the 1883 Census, population growth was slow.
He added that, > (Idem). It is possible that this Ciriaco is the same Ciriaco Labastida, who Bennet refers to as one of the main landowners of La Puerta, in 1929.
One of our oldest chroniclers, Ligia Burelli, reports that these lands were worked for many years as a lease, by the remembered nationalist character Don Cesáreo Parra, who also rose up under the orders of Colonel Américo Burelli, against the dictator Gómez. (Burelli. Smoke from Bonfires); land of rebels.
Rivero himself informs us that, > (Rivero); To talk about “Chucumbete” and not refer to one of its main and legendary characters, such as Cesáreo Parra, is to provide an incomplete history.
From our research on this character, > (Taken from the article Los Varones de la Culata. Author: Oswaldo Manrique. Diario de los Andes. 02-18-2024).
Indeed, and his marriage certificate corroborates this, he was born in Jajó in 1857. > (Idem).
Ada Abreu Burelli quoted him in remembrance of her childhood, like this: “the patriarchal Cesáreo Parra – that old man with the beautiful white beard and slow and wise conversation – brought from Chucumbete, to entertain Uncle Régulo” (Abreu: page 83).
The suggestive toponym “Chucumbete”
It was thought that its meaning had to do with some native delicacy or sweet or delicacy prepared by our Timoto-Andalusian matrons. Since I did not know the meaning of “Chucumbete”, I turned to relatives, neighbors and friends to tell me. My friend Duilio Simancas sent me the following: >something old and ugly, that can still be used.
Alfonso Araujo, former Prefect of La Puerta, somewhat agreeing with the above, maintains that it is a very old word, already out of use, it means >; Araujo agrees with Simancas.
Our always collaborator, Antonio Lino Rivero, knowledgeable about the site, told us the following: >; Here is another toponym of this place: the “Llanos de San Pedro”.
My friend Wílmer Viloria, from Mendoza, and curious about these ancient words, located an interesting explanation: >; including that it is used to designate unnamed things.
The main meaning >; which has regional variations:
In Venezuela specifically, “Chucumbete” can have a similar meaning to that of Peru, as a mild insult to refer to a messy, unkempt, or careless person. Some examples of use: “Look at that chucumbete, how he comes all disheveled and with dirty clothes”, “Don’t be a chucumbete and pick up your things”, “That team is a chucumbete, they are never organized”. According to this comment, it also used to be used to refer to things that had no name, innovative things, inventions.
Geographically and locally, “Chucumbete” was formerly an enormous possession of wheat fields and fertile pastures, which encouraged the raising of cattle and sheep. It was a land of great prosperity, full of greenery and small and great joys.
The San Pedro sector and the 20th century
After being the possession for several centuries of large landowners and leaders, where wheat fields, tobacco, grass, and cattle and sheep farming were exploited, a hamlet was formed with landless peasant people.
From the mountains, in rainy weather, the green intensifies and some varieties of vegetables, grains and fruit trees emerge, the few herds of donkeys and tired mules descending along the old road, warming the dusty ground.
According to the oral memory, it was formed as a peasant community at the initiative of 19 families, among which are remembered those of Mrs. Trina González, who died at the age of 85, Mr. Blas González, Mr. Pedro Ramírez, Mr. Domingo Abreu, Mr. Gonzalo Aldana, Mrs. Adelina, Mr. Julio Viloria. These first founders have already died, today there are new inhabitants, descendants of these people, whom they call “owners.”
The San Pedro sector, via La Lagunita, La Puerta Parish in the state of Trujillo, is currently one of the sites visited by tourists, as it is one of the places where agriculture is best developed.
Geographic location
The San Pedro sector is located at the head of the narrow Bomboy Valley, in the middle of large mountains.
It is located 1,735 meters above sea level and its temperature ranges between 13 and 20 degrees Celsius, which makes the climate very pleasant.
The community of San Pedro, via La Lagunita, is connected by paved road with La Puerta, connecting with the trans-Andean highway in its branches to Valera and the one that goes to Timotes and other towns in the state of Mérida.
Cultural and religious manifestations
Regarding cultural manifestations, traditions, popular customs and religious festivals, the San Pedro community is involved in the main expressions and festivities of La Puerta, such as the January festivals, in honor of the patron Saint Paul and the Virgin of Peace, The Catholic cult also makes them manifest their Marian devotion to the Virgin Mary, the Mystical Rose.
On May 13 in San Pedro, the day of the Mystical Rose is celebrated, which consists of celebrating mass with the priest in the company of close friends.
In this same month, the serenade to San Isidro is performed and accompanied by a caravan through the different sectors. There are also other evangelical religions.
Agriculture
The majority of the people in the San Pedro sector are farmers, not with their own farm, they are sharecroppers or day laborers. Garlic, lettuce, parsley, potatoes, cilantro, zucchini, sedano, broccoli and cauliflower are grown.
Roads
One of the main concerns of this community is that the agricultural penetration road be improved, that is, that together the competent organizations and the inhabitants of the sector, seek improvement and that the road be recovered in its entirety.
The previous notes give an idea of that wonderful and pleasant tapestry, which is part of our daily life and culture of a community of kind, hardworking and Andean people.
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2024-10-06 20:35:09
