User:Mishellaneous/Lenca

The Lenca are an indigenous peoples of south-western Honduras and eastern El Salvador. They once spoke the Lenca language, which is now considered extinct. In Honduras, Lenca is the largest indigenous group with an estimated population of 100,000. El Salvador's Lenca populations is estimated at about 37,000.

The pre-Conquest Lenca had frequent contact with various Maya groups as well as other indigenous peoples. Lenca are often mistakenly identified as being related to the Maya peoples. This is thought so because the Lenca language shared some similar features with major neighboring language families of Mesoamerica, but there is no evidence of genetic similarities. The origin of Lenca populations has been an ongoing debate amongst anthropologist and historians, and continues to generate more research to attain archaeological evidence of pre-colonial Lenca. Many scholars believe that the Lenca were not originally indigenous to the Mesoamerican region, but that they migrated to the region from South America around 3,000 years ago.

History
The only documentary references of Lenca culture and history comes from the European perspective at the time of conquest during the early 16th century. What is known at the time of the conquest is that the Lenca population lived as agriculturalists in stratified, hereditary chiefdoms. Each political unit, often called municipios, was characterized by internal ranking and governed by a political ruler or chief. The political ruler, high priest, chief justice, the Vara Alta and other officials formed a Lencan ruling class, bonded through kinship and marriage. Lenca populations were large enough (they may have numbered over 500,000 persons at time of conquest) to develop regional subgroups. In the attempt to increase territorial holdings, tribute goods and slaves, these subgroups often engaged one another in warfare. There is some historical evidence indicating that the Lenca celebrated annual periods, where peace was mutually agreed upon by warring factions in order to pursue agricultural and commerical interests. During these annual periods active commerce in cotton mantles, excotic feathers, cacao, and achiote took place between the neighboring cheifdoms. This tradition is believed to be the prehispanic structure of what is now celebrated as guancasco by modern Lenca communities. During the Spanish invasion in 1537, the Lenca organized a decade long war of resistance against the Spanish. Led by the warrior chief Lempira, the Lenca fought until the assassination of Lempira, who is recognized as a hero and who is the national currency of Honduras.

The Lencas had a long history of interaction with Mayan peoples from neighboring regions, and at time of Spanish contact they shared cultural features with the Mesoamerican world.

Aside from the ongoing archaeological research of Lenca origin, we can only know the Lenca from the time of and through their encounters with the Spanish. Apart from European reports of Lenca culture, there are only a few published primary and secondary historical sources that provide reliable ethnographic information of pre-colonial Lenca.

Geography
Lenca settlements both modern and archaeological are located in south-western highlands of Honduras and eastern El Salvador. The Lenca of El Salvador currently reside in the Eastern departments of Usulután, San Miguel, Morazán, and La Unión north and east of the Lempa River. In Honduras, Lenca populations and settlements are in the central department of La Paz, and the western departments of Lempira, Ocotepeque, Itíbuca, Comayagua, Fransco Morazan, and Choluteca.

Culture
The Lencan indigenous culture has undergone centuries of acculturation preceding the Spanish conquest. While there are ongoing political problems over indigenous land rights and identity, the Lenca have been able to retain many pre-colonial traditions. Although having lost much of their aboriginal culture, including their indigenous language, the Lenca have preserved enough traditional ways to consider themselves as indigenous peoples.

The Lenca, like other indigenous groups of Central America, represent one of the many stages of acculturation, with the changing of cultural relationships to the land.

Economy
The life of all modern Lenca communities are centered around the milpa. Lenca men engage in agriculture including the cultivation of coffee, cacao, tobacco, varieties of plantains and gourds. Other principle crops are maize, wheat, beans, squash, sugarcane, and chili peppers. In El Salvador peanuts are also cultivated. Within the communities, Lenca traditionally expect all members to participate in communal efforts.

While there has been a growing national acceptance of indigenous rights and culture, the Lenca are in an ongoing struggle over indigenous land rights. In the mid-1990's, indigenous activists formed to petition the issues of land ownership and indigenous rights. Due to the unresolved land issues, and constitutional amendments favoring land ownership by large-scale investors and agro-industrialists, a result of decreasing land availability has forced many Lenca men to result to take employment in neighboring cities.

Many Lenca communities still have their communal land, but have to devote a majority of it to the production of commodities for foreign markets. Most Lenca still use traditional agricultural practices on their own crops, as well as the crops for investors.

Material Culture
Throughout the regions of Lenca occupation, Lenca pottery was very distinguishable. Handcrafted by Lenca women, Lenca pottery is considered an ethnic marking of their culture. The mid-1980's creation of NGO woman cooperatives transformed the character of the craft. The cooperatives initial mission was to increase the profitability of the pottery by orienting production to meet the tastes of urban buyers, and expanding its market. Much of the modern painted pottery for sale today is not of aboriginal origin, and has been altered for the appeal of foreign buyers.

Religion
Modern Lenca religion is predominantly Catholic, but some Lenca communties still retain and practice many indigenous traditions. Similar to other indigenous beliefs in Mesoamerica, the Lenca consider sacred mountains and hills as holy places. Many Lenca peoples still have profound respect and adoration for the sun. Indigenous practices and ceremonies are still observed by the Lenca. During different crop seasons, Lenca men partake in ceremonies where chicha is consumed and insense is burnt. As mentioned above, the Lenca's cultural adaptation from acculturation has enabled them to incorporate their traditions and beliefs with their Catholic religion.

Guancasco
Guancasco is the annual ceremony by which neighboring communities, usually two, gather to establish reciprocal obligations in order to confirm peace and friendship. The guancascos take many forms and have acclimated many Cathloic representations, but they also include traditional customs and representations. Processions and elaborate exchanges of greetings, and Honduran folk dancing are performed for the statue representation of the patron saint of the town. The dance is organized by the "Alcaldía Auxiliar de la Vara Alta", whom is the auxillary mayor responsible for conducting Lenca ceremonies and serves as a intermediary between Lencans and the official city government. Vara Alta, from traditional Lenca society translates as "Tall Staff" and is a the rotating political-religious position held in the community. Honduran towns such as Yanaranguila, La Campa, La Paz and Tencoa are all hosts of the annual celebration.

Tourism
Lenca tourism is expanding while bringing new light to indigenous Lenca traditions and culture, especially in Honduras. The Honduran Tourism Institute along with tne United Nations Development Program, has developed a cultural heritage project dedicated to the Lenca and their culture called Routa Lenca or La Ruta Lenca. The Routa Lenca is a tourist route through a series of rural towns in southwestern Honduras within traditional Lenca territory. The tourism route stops through the departments of Intibuca, La Paz, Lempira, and other adjacent valleys. With stops at La Campa, where traditional Lenca pottery is handcrafted by one of the cooperatives, the Lencan archaeological sites of Los Naranjos and Yarumela, the town of Gracias and other towns with Lenca heritage. The development of Routa Lenca was designed to bring tourist money to Lenca communities and to preserve remaining indigenous cultural practices; so far the project has been met with success.