How Acapulco Got It's Name

Legend of Acapulco

Acapulco would have no mystery at all, if it didn't have a Legend.

Above is the shield of Acapulco. It is supposed to represent the story below. Darned if I can see what caterpillars, cabbages, and dismemberment have to do with the following.

Many many years ago, long before the treacherous Spaniards arrived at these shores, there was a small tribe of Yope Indians living peacefully on the coast, fishing the azure waters, munching coconuts, chewing on mangos generally living the indolent life a tropical beach engenders. Legend doesn't recall their vices but it would probably be a safe assumption that one or two of them indulged in the famous weeds that grow round about.

This life style was too good to last forever and was duly interrupted by a tribe of warlike Nahuatls who forced these peace loving people into the hills where life was surely a lot tougher. The Nahuatls decided to stay for a while and settled down to a life somewhat akin to the previous incumbents.

Not too long after their arrival a son, Acatl (trans. Reeds) was born to the Chief who proudly entrusted him to Quetzalcóatl as his protector.

These Nahuatl were a bit more restless than their predecessors and after a while they set off again in search of something different.

By this time, of course, young Acatl had turned into a handsome warrior and as was customary among the Nahuatls, he headed off in search of a bride. While on the road he met and fell in love with a beautiful girl who was the daughter of a chief.

I am sure you won't be surprised to learn that the object of his affections, Quiahuitl by name, was none other than the daughter of the chief of the very tribe his father had defeated all those years before.

On discovering the identity of his future son-in-law, the old man, filled with hatred and resentment, not only absolutely refused his daughter permission to marry the dashing young warrior but also cursed him, calling on the gods to punish him.

Poor Acatl, miserable, returned to the place of his birth to grieve. He sobbed and sobbed (no macho he) so much that eventually his tears became a river which soaked his fine physique to such an extent that he melted and turned into a muddy pool. Eventually reeds grew up around this pool and were referred to as his children.

Now Quetzalcoatl eventually heard how cruelly his protégé had been treated and as punishment to the Yope Chief turned his beloved and perfectly innocent daughter, Quiahuitl, into a cloud. She wasn't terribly happy about this transformation and floated about aimlessly for a long while until eventually she came across a muddy pond with reeds growing round it.

Bitter and twisted as she was by now she flew into a hideous rage as she recognized her lost lover's children swaying in the breeze… they should of course have been her children. She turned herself into a torrential downpour which wrenched poor Acatl's children from the ground and left them to die in a crumpled mess. It did, however, do a good job of entwining the lovers forever in the place that came to be known as "Acapulco"… Nahuatl for the 'place where reeds were destroyed.'

What a jolly tale of jealousy, intrigue, selfishness and infanticide. Worthy of any telenovela.