This past month was Hispanic Heritage month, and even though there’s chaos going on in the world that requires much of our attention, I think there’s always room for a little “cultura.” Many Latin and Central American countries celebrate their independence throughout the month of September: Brazil, Chile, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, just to name a few. My very own home country of Nicaragua celebrated its independence from the Spanish on the 15th of this month. This relatively young country (having gained independence in 1821) is the home of many historic landmarks, some of which we rarely care to talk about or even learn about in ‘World’ History, but then again, we only have 9 months to grasp ‘world’ history, right? 

The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes

It’s a fact that the Americas and their native population were terrorized by the doings of Spanish conquistadors (of course, it wasn’t only them) from as early as the 15th century. It’s no surprise that Spanish conquistador Francisco Hernández de Córdoba was drawn to a land of abundant, awe-striking landscapes. After all, Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, and a variety of flora and fauna, beaches and islands, canyons and volcanoes, reside within its borders. And history is nothing but ingrained within these very borders. Hernández de Córdoba is credited with the founding of two of Nicaragua’s oldest and most important cities: León and Granada.

But with great beauty comes a great price. León and Granada have withstood great environmental disasters, and though it may seem trivial, the history embedded in these cities not only demonstrates the overall development of early Spanish colonialism, it serves a reminder that the feeble human is helpless.

The Ruins of León Viejo

After standing for what was almost a century, the second oldest city in Nicaragua–León Viejo–was subject to partial destruction by the eruption of Momotombo in 1578; the remains were ultimately destroyed by an earthquake in 1610. The city had come under the reign of Spanish conquistadors, and after enduring natural disasters that weakened the stability of the settlement, the settlers decided to move a little less than 20 miles west. This new settlement would flourish and become what is today’s León, leaving Leon Viejo to be buried under ash for centuries to come.

The remains of the city were not completely destroyed after all but were preserved by volcanic ash and pumice. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that plans for excavation of the site began which didn’t end up being such a smart idea because Hurricane Mitch destroyed some of the remains in 1999. A year later, UNESCO declared this historic site a World Heritage Site. In the words of UNESCO and their criteria to be considered part of the World Heritage list, the ruins of Leon Viejo are “exceptional testimony to the material culture of one of the earliest Spanish colonial settlements.”

What was once a town built around a central plaza decorated with monasteries, private and public residences, even Incan pottery, is now but a little piece of our history frozen in time.

Las Huellas de Acahualinca 

On a more mysterious and thrilling note, miners back in 1874 discovered Late Holocene footprints known as las Huellas de Acahualinca (“The Footprints of Acahualinca”).

The Carnegie Institute began excavating the site around the early 1940s; since then, 14 layers of earth (equivalent to 4 meters), Pre-Columbian artifacts, human skulls, Chorotega pottery, and of course, human footprints, have been unearthed. Rumor has it that these bipedal men, women, and children–believed to be from the late Holocene–were running away from a volcanic explosion, but the distance between the tracks illustrates a different story. It’s believed that the passer-byers were walking on volcanic mud, and their tracks were preserved by the ash released from an eruption nearby, leaving us proud Nicaraguans–as well as history folk–with something to talk about.

 For a while.

More Than ‘Just the Past’

León Viejo and Las Huellas de Acahualinca are relics in the country of Nicaragua, but their history holds value in the present day. Yes, León Viejo was a destination for the Spanish conquistadors (and it was the site of Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba’s decapitation if you must know) but notice how both these sites were subjugated to the power of natural forces. Volcanic activity is no stranger to the citizens of Nicaragua with the last eruption having occurred in 1999, and more recently, detected activity in 2015.

These archaeological sites illustrate how very insignificant and short-lived our term on Earth may be. “But we live in Florida. There are no volcanoes here.” You’re still not immune to natural disasters.

And just like that, the month of September comes to a close. Next year, Nicaragua will be celebrating 200 years of independence, and Brazil, Chile, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and many others, will be celebrating yet another year, as well. This year has thrown all kinds of tragedies and disasters at us, but, as I said, there’s always room for a little trip down history lane–particularly your own history. Be proud of that history.

¡Que viva la patria!