La Esperanza
Local people make a variety of interesting handicrafts. Many women’s groups use hand constructed wooden looms to produce traditional Lenca woven textiles such as ponchos, scarves, shawls, head scarves, table runners and tablecloths in bright colors.
A growing number of groups have begun to take advantage of the ample number of fallen pine needles from the surrounding forests, which they weave into sturdy and decorative baskets, potholders, and vases.
White clay local to the region is used to produce a variety of unique ceramic items.
La Esperanza is well known for the production of sweet, liqueur-like wines from fruits such as strawberries, pears, peaches, blackberries, and apples as well as the local favorite, potatoes.
Visitors to La Esperanza can purchase these items and many other artisan products from around Honduras at one of the three primary souvenir stores in town, UMMIL (Union de Mujeres Microempresarias Lencas de Intibucá), Opalacas, and El Rincon del Turista.
La Esperanza can be most easily reached by car or bus from Siguatepeque via Highway 22, which is paved, and in good condition.
From La Esperanza, one can take the road to Yamaranquilla and connect with Highway CA 11-A to reach San Juan, Intibucá; Gracias, Lempira; and Santa Rosa de Copán, Copan.
Parts of the road between La Esperanza and San Juan are unpaved making them sometimes impassable during the rainy season, but the road is currently being paved.
Transportes Carolina operates a fleet of Pullman buses, which run hourly to/from Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula making stops at major cities along the way.
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There is also regular mini bus service to Marcala, Yamaranguila, San Juan, Erandique, Gracias, and Santa Rosa de Copan all leaving from the main bus terminal near the entrance to town. Chicken buses run to smaller surrounding communities.
The nearby village of San Juan is known for its coffee production and for its proximity to Erandique home to the ancient fortress of Lempira, an indigenous Honduran hero who fought against the Spanish
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La Esperanza is the capital city and a municipality of the same name of the department of Intibucá, Honduras. The city of La Esperanza is merged indistinguishably with the city of Intibucá, the head of the neighboring municipality of Intibucá.
Intibucá is the older of the two cities and was originally a Lenca community, while La Esperanza is the newer ladino community.
The two cities, often called the twin cities, while distinct with separate municipal governments, are generally referred to jointly as La Esperanza, and are separated only by a street that crosses town. La Esperanza is famous for having the coolest climate in Honduras and for being the heart of the Ruta Lenca, a region of Lenca ethnic influence that spans Honduras from Santa Rosa de Copan to Choluteca.
Maya and Lenca people from pre-Columbian times who formed two settlements called Eramani and Lentercala originally occupied the area. In 1647, Mayor Francisco de La Cerda was appointed by the Spanish throne to officially demarcate the territory of the indigenous population.
He divided the land into two jurisdictions, not corresponding to the Eramani and Lentercala sites, and created boundaries and names for the surrounding small communities.
Over time, the two jurisdictions developed a rivalry, especially over land. The cities grew in population especially in the 1800s and La Esperanza was named a villa on September 22, 1848. La Esperanza officially became a city in 1883 when the department of Intibucá was formed by separating from the neighboring department of Lempira, then called Gracias.
In 2002, permits were obtained by the Consorcio de Inversiones SA de CV (CISA) to build a hydroelectric dam on the Rio Intibucá
over an abandoned hydro project. Called the La Esperanza Hydro Project after the city, the dam began producing electricity for the surrounding communities in 2003, but its phase two expansion was not completed until 2006.
The project was the first in the world to generate Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
La Esperanza sits at an altitude of 1700 meters, making it the highest city in Honduras. It is bisected by the Rio Intibucá, which runs from the municipality of Intibucá through the municipality of La Esperanza. La Esperanza is situated in a relatively flat mountain valley, bordered by two chains of mountains, the Sierra de Puca Opalaca to the north and Montaña Zapochoco to the Southeast. The area of the La Esperanza municipality is 138.8-km2 and Intibucá 531 km2.
Climate
La Esperanza experiences two distinct seasons: the rainy season/winter from May to October and the dry season/summer from November to April. The rainiest months are June and September, and the driest months February and March. During the winter, it rains primarily in the afternoon and the intense showers often make small dirt roads into the surrounding mountain communities impassable.
La Esperanza receives average annual precipitation of 1400 mm. Due to its high altitude; La Esperanza has a cooler climate than most of Honduras, with an average annual temperature of 18.6°C (65.5°F).
Temperatures in December and January often fall into the 40’s at night. Hail has been reported on occasion, but it has never snowed. In the summer, high temperatures reach the 80’s, but with low average humidity around 76%.
The predominant ethnic group is the Lenca people, who have existed in this region of Honduras since pre-Columbian times. The Lenca are the largest ethnic group in Honduras, numbering just over 100,000.
The Lenca once had a distinct language, which is now lost, however other traditional customs still exist such as the production of textiles and pottery, dances, and clothing. The Lenca people, particularly women, can be recognized by their unique style of dress including brightly colored dresses and woven headscarves called pañuelos.
Daily Lenca fresh produce market
Life in La Esperanza and Intibucá is centered primarily on agriculture, which is the mainstay of most residents, especially the Lenca people. Due to its uniquely cool climate, the department is able to produce products that other departments cannot including potatoes, strawberries, and apples.
La Esperanza is famous for its daily farmers market, which draws vendors and shoppers from around the department. Lenca farmers arrive from the surrounding communities and sell their fruits and vegetables in the street while some La Esperanza residents manage permanent wooden stalls.
Produce available includes lettuce, spinach, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot pep
pers, yucca, onions, cilantro, apples, blackberries, mangoes, pineapple, bananas, platanos, avocadoes, grapes, peaches and strawberries.
The busiest market days are Saturday and Sunday.
Celebrations
As in the rest of Honduras, the majority of the population is Roman Catholic, with a growing percentage of Evangelicals. As such, Christmastime or Navidad and Holy Week proceeding Easter, called Semana Santa, are major times of celebration. Christmas Eve, known as Nochebuena, is celebrated with a late-night dinner with family and friends followed by lighting off fireworks at midnight.
For Holy Week, there is generally a series of processions and activities, with Good Friday, Viernes Santo having the largest procession and alfombras, designed carpets on the street made of colored sawdust. Most businesses are closed Thursday and Friday of Holy Week since they are national holidays. In addition to Christmas and Easter, several other annual festivals and holidays are celebrated including:
Artisan Festival (Feria de Artesanía de La Ruta Lenca) - February
Anniversary of the Department of Intibucá - April 16
Wine and Mushroom Festival (Feria de Vino y Chorros) – June or July
Potato Festival (Feria de La Papa) - July
Independence from Spain (Día de Independencia) - September 15
Festival of the Patron Saint, Virgin of Conception (Feria Patronal de la Virgen de Concepcion) – November 29 to December 7
Festivals may include parades, processions, marching bands, food tents, artisan demonstrations, traditional dancing, live music, and fireworks.
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