Municipality of Taulabe
Taulabé is a municipality in the department of Comayagua in Honduras.
The meaning of Taulabé: «Meeting of roads» or «Path of the jaguar».
It has a population of 24,699 inhabitants and covers an area of 200 km². The community is currently known as the largest producer of lime, honey, cattle, sugarcane, and panela (unrefined whole cane sugar) in the Honduran region, as well as a coffee producer.
Taulabé, Comayagua is a little corner of Honduras’s geography, a vibrant community that has experienced significant changes over the years, making it stand out among other communities in the area.
History
Its excellent geographical location has been of great help in its evolution into the modern municipality it is today, with its urban center on the path to becoming a city. But to reach this point, Taulabé has undoubtedly undergone changes over time, changes that have been written in what we now call its History. We will take this opportunity to delve a little into those events that have shaped the lives of its inhabitants and allowed Taulabé to evolve from the Taulabé of the past to the Taulabé of today. To understand the community’s origins, we have to go back in time to the era of Spanish conquest (around 1582).
At that time, the indigenous people settled in the Tencoa Valley, along the banks of the Ulúa River, started moving upstream until they reached the confluence with the Jaitique River. They settled along the Yoyuk River, now known as the Tamalito River. This theory is supported by the ancient remains found along the Tamalito River.
Since then, this territory has been inhabited and became a center of trade between the indigenous people from the entire central region. For the Lenca people, it was a spiritually important site. That’s why Taulabé, in the Lenca language, is derived from the words Tarule, Taulebe, and Taulepa, which mean «shorten the path» or «meeting of roads and travelers.»
Much later, after independence in 1821, Taulabé began to be populated by families originating from the Salvadoran border, the south of Santa Bárbara, La Paz, and Intibucá. Around that time, a dusty central road was built that passed through the center of the community, now known as the main street of the Los Almendros neighborhood, and then diverted through the community of La Misión. This road connected the northern part of the country with the capital, Comayagua.
The families settled in the area began to organize, and in 1864, during the government of President José Trinidad Cabañas, they purchased land from him for the amount of 900 silver pesos. This land, which consisted of 54 and a half «caballerías» (a measure of land) plus two «cordadas» (a unit of measurement), was where the population was located at that time. The title of purchase still exists and is in the possession of the Morales family.
In 1969, an invaluable project for the country began: the construction of the Northern Highway, a paved and wide road that diverted away from the community’s center. This road marked the history of Taulabé, not only for the modernity it brought but also for the discovery of one of the community’s most representative icons, «The Caves of Taulabé,» which were found during the road’s construction. Nowadays, it is known as CA5, and it has recently been expanded and modernized thanks to the Millennium Account Corporation, which is responsible for the expansion of this important communication artery. This road has undoubtedly contributed to the rapid growth of the community. Additionally, the community’s development-oriented spirit, through its Pro Improvement Board established on February 28, 1965, has enabled the establishment of basic services such as electricity, potable water, sanitation, and the maintenance of the community’s streets, which at that time belonged to the municipality of Siguatepeque.
In 1987, two important events took place. The first was the independence of the Municipality of Siguatepeque, and the creation of the Municipality of Taulabé through Agreement 31-87 MGJ published in the Gazette during the presidency of Engineer José Simón Azcona Hoyo, after a long struggle by the community’s influential groups. The second was the designation of the Cerro Azul Meambar Cloud Forest Reserve, which extends across several municipalities, including Taulabé, as a National Park.
Thus, Taulabé’s life as a municipality began, with Mr. Luis Leiva serving as its first mayor. Together with other members of the community, they formed the first Municipal Corporation, which governed the municipality until 1990 when Mr. Gaspar Palacios replaced them through elections. In 1994, Mr. Jesús Castellanos became mayor, followed by Mr. Dagoberto Cortez in the 1998 and 2002 elections. Since 2006, Mr. Lectonio Maldonado has held this important position, currently serving his third term in the Taulabé community.
Health
Taulabé has a health center that has met the needs of its inhabitants over the years. This health center now includes a fully equipped Mother and Child Clinic called M.A.F.E, which has been successfully managed and is now a reality.
As Taulabé has gone through the administrations of various Municipal Corporations and the efforts of the population through the Pro Improvement Board, significant improvements have been made to the municipality’s infrastructure and service provision to its citizens. Nowadays, Taulabé boasts many paved streets and important projects carried out by different mayors.
The development achieved is undeniable. Unfortunately, this «modernity» does not come alone but also brings a loss of human values and has led to an increase in insecurity, a secondary effect that occurs in any community worldwide. What is now an advantage can also be a disadvantage. The excellent location allows for constant communication with the country and the transport of goods, which contributes to better development. However, this geographical location also allows criminals to escape quickly. I still hold hope for a peaceful and welcoming Taulabé, where our children can grow up just as we did.
Tourism
The main attraction in Taulabé is the Caves of Taulabé, which represent a great mineral wealth that can be seen in many stalactite and stalagmite formations. The Caves of Taulabé receive a large number of visitors, both from within the country and foreign tourists.
In addition to the caves, Taulabé has archaeological riches, waterfalls, rivers, cloud forests, and natural lagoons, with an impressive array of landscapes such as the Cerro Azul Meambar National Park, which is one of our most coveted tourist destinations.
