Prof. Jesse Diez reviews colonial documents of Parita

The town of Parita may not be on the "top-ten list" of tourist destinations in the Azuero Peninsula, but has many features of interests for history enthusiasts. It is the oldest Hispanic settlement of the peninsula and its quaint, little main square has not changed much since the days of the Spanish conquistadors.

According to Prof. Jesse Diez, an expert on history and geography, Parita was founded towards the end of the 16th century by Gonzalo de Badajoz after the defeat of París, a powerful Indian chief who had defeated the Spanish in their first attempt to colonize the area. The conquistadors established a system of "encomiendas" --a feudal system similar to the "missions" established in Mexico and the western United States. The conquistadors and the conquered peoples slowly intermarried throughout the years, producing the modern population of the area.

One of the main legacies of those early years can be found in the town's church, the altars of which date from the 17th and 18th centuries. The church also harbors the oldest public registry of the Republic, where most of Parita's 8,000 souls can trace back their origins all the way to the spaniards and Indian of old.

The town Church in historic Parita