Jayuya, Puerto Rico

Town of The Three Peaks

Jayuya (hah-YOO-yah) is known as the “Town of The Three Peaks”, “High Ground,” the “Town of the Tomato,” the “Town of the Three Peaks,” the “Indigenous Capital of Puerto Rico,” the “Overlook of Puerto Rico” and the “Artisan Mecca.”

The autonomous municipality of Jayuya is located in the central region of Puerto Rico. It is bordered by Utuado and Ciales on the north, by Ponce, Juana Díaz and Orocovis on the south, by Ciales on the east and Utuado on the west.

Jayuya is located in the highest elevations of the Central Mountain Range, site of the highest mountains in Puerto Rico.

Jayuya is also known for its indigenous monuments: The Written Rock and the Tibes Rock, located in the Coabey sector; The Tomb of the Indian in Jayuya-Pueblo sector; and the Indigenous Mural in the Zamas sector, where the Jayuya sun petroglyph was found.

The Cemí Archaeological Museum exhibits archaeological pieces from the indigenous cultures of the island. The municipality is also the site of the National Indigenous Festival of Jayuya, one of the most important folk festivals held on the island. It honors the memory of the Tainos.

Jayuya also is known throughout the region for its wood experts, specializing in the sculptures of our national birds.

Foundation:

Jayuya (hah-YOO-yah) was founded in 1911 and is located in the central part of the island, in the northern border of the Toro Negro Forest Reserve, a 7,000 acres park that includes the Cerro Puntas, the highest mountain of Puerto Rico. The city derives its name from Hayuya, head Indian of the Taínos.

The Jayuyanos take great pride in their cultural roots of the region. Jayuya counts with three monuments that commemorate the Taíno inheritance: a statue to Hayuya, the first monument constructed in Puerto Rico in honor to the Taíno Indian, Tomb of the Puerto Rican Indian, a tomb that contains a Taíno skeleton buried in the traditional fetal position. Finally, the Piedra Escrita (Written Stone), this proudly demonstrates petroglifics done by hands of the Indians. In November Jayuya celebrates a festival in honor of Chief Hayuya.

Location:

Jayuya is located en the center of the island, it borders with Utuado and Ciales to the north, south with Ponce, Juana Díaz and Orocovis, west with Utuado and east with Ciales.

Area:

102.1 sq. km. / 39.3 sq. mi.

Population:

17,318 (census 2000)

Population Density:

169.6 per sq. km. / 440.6 per sq. mi.

People are known as:

Jayuyanos

Jayuya is also known as:

El Pueblo de Los Tres Picachos (Town Of The Three Peaks)
Los Tomateros (The Tomateros)
La Capital Indígena de Puerto Rico (The Indigenous Capital of Puerto Rico)
El Mirador de Puerto Rico (The Viewpoint of Puerto Rico)

Wards: Jayuya, Puerto Rico

Source: Censo 2000

Topography:

Jayuya is located in one of the most elevated regions of the Central Mountain Range reason why its terrain is very irregular and home of many mayor mountains of Puerto Rico, which include the Cerro Puntas, the highest mountain of Puerto Rico with 1,338.0 meters / 4,369 feet.

Hydrography:

Jayuya has three major rivers:

• Grande de Jayuya with its afluents, the Saliente, Salientito, Zamas, Caricaboa, Veguitas & Jauca
• Naranjito
• Yunes

Economy:

Agriculture (vegetables, coffee & cattle), handmade artifacts and tourism.

Average Salary:

$299.37 weekly (1998

Flag:

The flag is rectangular in shape and derives its symbolism from the Coat of Arms. It represents the spirit of the people that are proud of their Taíno heritage and representative of hospitality: values of the puertorrican people.

Coat Of Arms:

The red shield symbolizes the harmony and brotherhood that characterizes the people from Jayuya. Above the shield a three tower crown, standard for municipalities. Inside the shield centered at the top a Taíno crown, that is a generic symbol representing Chief Hayuya’s monarchy.

In the center a green band with a white border representing the Tres Picachos (Three Peaks), the green color of the countryside and the town’s matron, La Virgen de la Monserrate. At the bottom, Jayuya’s Sun, Taíno hand carving found only in Jayuya.

Events:

• National Indigenous Festival – November
• Three Kings Festival – January
• Jíbara Tomato Festival – February
• La Monserrate Marathon – September
• Virgen de La Monserrate Patron Saint Festival – September

Places To Visit:

• Canales House Museum
• The Tres Picachos
• The Written Rock
• Monument to Chief Hayuya
• Tomb of the Puerto Rican Indian
• El Cemí Museum
• Hacienda Gripiñas Parador inn
• Jayuya Cultural Center
• Monument to Nemesio R. Canales
• Music Plaza
• Nemesio R. Canales Plaza

Distinguished Citizens:

• Rosario Canales Quintero – Founded the town of Jayuya in 1883. First mayor of Jayuya from 1911 to 1916. Father of Nemesio Canales, Mario Canales and Blanca Canales, among others.
• Nemesio Canales Rivera –  Journalist, essayist, playwright, novelist, poet and legislator. As legislator for the Union Party, he presented the first bill to guarantee the legal rights of women in 1909. His literary contributions include his famous essays Paliques and the theatrical work El Héroe Galopante, among others.
• Mario Canales Torresola – Mayor of Jayuya, representative in the House from 1944 to 1962. President of the Agriculture Commission in the 1950s, the era when the tomatoes of Jayuya made history. Member of the Constituent Assembly of 1952.
• Blanca Canales Torresola –  Recognized social worker and revolutionary leader. Participated in the Nationalist Revolution on October 30, 1950, and proclaimed the formation of the Republic of Puerto Rico in Jayuya under the motto God and Fatherland.
• Jesús Ríos Robles – Folk music performer during the 1930s and 1940s.
• Antonio Romero Muñiz (Toñín Romero) – Known as “The Jíbaro of town and country.” Singer and composer of boleros, Christmas songs and décimas. He is honored with a bust in the Music Plaza and at the Toñín Romero Festival, where troubadours sing his songs.
• Roberto Rivera Negrón – Actor and director of television series, adventures and comedies, and participant in poetry readings. Received numerous prizes for his work.
• Carlos Orama Padilla – Writer, poet and journalist. Wrote about popular personalities and the daily life of the past.

Hymn:

Author: Miguel Requena Maldonado