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.
