Cocula, Jalisco
Cocula is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is located southwest of Guadalajara, on Mexico Highway 80. It sits at an elevation of. According to the 2020 census, the population of the municipality was 29,267 with 16,550 inhabitants living in the city. Other important towns in the municipality are Cofradía de la Luz, La Sauceda, and Santa Teresa.
In 2023, Cocula was designated a Pueblo Mágico by the Mexican government, recognizing its cultural and historical importance. Cocula is best known as the birthplace of mariachi.
Economy
The Cocula regional economy is primarily agrarian-based, growing not only maize and agave but also sorghum, chickpeas, alfalfa and mangoes, and is one of the nation's top sugar cane producers. It is also known for the raising of pigs, poultry, goats, chickens, and cattle. Cocula City proper is also the head of local commerce, with a wide range of specialized retailers of food, clothing, housewares, farm & garden supply and construction materials; the city is also the primary center for general regional public services such as banks, hospitals, auto repair shops and other civic industries.History
Cocula was called originally Cocollán or Cocolán, which has been interpreted to mean "ondulated place." Around the 12th century, some families of the Coca tribe who inhabited the Kingdom of Tonalá were forced to flee the area due to hostility towards them. A group guided by Huehuetztlatzin founded Cocollán in today's Acatlán de Juárez area.Cocollán was destroyed at the beginning of the 16th century. The survivors tried to establish themselves in the Tlajomulco area a few miles from there but were expelled by the local tribes. They ended up occupying the top of a mountain close to the original Cocollán site where they remained until the arrival of the Spaniards.
By 1520, Cocollán was an independent city under the rule of Chief Citlali. It had some tributary towns under its control like Acatlan, Villa Corona, Tizapanito, Xilotepetque and Tecolotlán. In 1521, the Spanish army under Alonso de Ávalos conquered Cocollán and surrounding towns and incorporated them into the Avalos Province. A few years later, Franciscan friars persuaded the indigenous inhabitants of the city to relocate to a valley nearby, which is its present location. This is believed to have happened in 1532. There are still remains of the old city, which is referred to as Cocula Vieja.
In 1833, Cocula was declared a city.