Sucre Map, Venezuela

Sucre or Estado Sucre is a federal state of Venezuela. It is a land of bold extremes, being in the northeast of the country on the one hand, the rugged mountain ranges fall directly to the sea of the Caribbean, and on the other hand, the fertile valley lands cede to peninsulas extending precipitously to the expanses of the ocean. The state occupies a land area of about 11,800 square kilometres and has a population of nearly 900,000 individuals. It is home to one of the oldest cities founded by Europeans on the mainland in South America, whose capital, Cumana, was founded in the first half of the 16th century. Sucre was named after Antonio Jose de Sucre, the independence hero of Venezuela (Grand Marshal of Ayacucho), who was born in Cumana.

The state had been called a land of grace, the phrase that dates to Christopher Columbus in 1498, when he landed on its shores in his 3 rd voyage, and was overwhelmed by the fertile land, crystalline waters, and abundant vegetation to refer to it as a territory of grace. This has remained in the cultural memory of Venezuela as it portrays the history and the beauty of the natural features of the region. Sucre has a background of a fishing industry, agricultural sector and tourism, whose destinations have become very popular today, with several being Mochima National Park, Araya Peninsula and the Paria Peninsula.

History

Sucre's history is a rich but multifaceted one, and its existence dates further back to the native people who inhabited it even before European settlement. The authentically existing groups in the region included the Cumanagoto and Chaima people, who dwelled on the coasts and valleys and engaged themselves in fishing, hunting and subsistence farming. They continue to be remembered in the form of place names and traditions that are still to be found in the state.

The coming of Europeans has become one of the turning points in the history of the region. The Frontera Terrestrial de Venezuela was occupied in Sucre when Christopher Columbus landed on the Paria Peninsula in 1498, and various parts of Venezuela were first explored by Europeans. This was a colonisation start and a devastating experience that was awe-inspiring. Franciscan missionaries had started to become established in the region by 1515, and in 1521 Gonzalo de Ocampo formally settled there in Cumana and became the first official permanent European downside on the mainland of South America. This would make this city a centre of colonial rule, trading and mission work.

The struggle at the start of the childhood of Cumana was conflictual. The natives rebelled against the infiltration by the Spaniards, and this resulted in frequent rebellions and raids into the colony. The city likewise had earthquakes, one of them devastating in 1530, as it required the city to be rebuilt. Nonetheless, Cumana continued by developing to develop into an important colonial station, which became a centre to export pearls, cacao and other commodities.

As an important port, the coastal districts of Carupano, Cariaco, and Guiria began to develop in the 17th and 18th centuries. The salt mines located on the Araya Peninsula were also well renowned, and they were also overexploited by the Spanish crown. Its geographic position in the Caribbean also predisposed the region to the threats of piracy and expeditions of other countries, contributing to its harsh colonial background.

The wars of independence were introduced in the 19th century, and Sucre was at the forefront of these wars. In 1795, Antonio Jose de Sucre was born in Cumana, and he was one of the most relevant military chiefs of the independence movement. He was a loyal follower of Simon Bolivar, and he was the head of the patriot armies through which the victorious battle at Ayacucho in 1824 occurred, bringing independence to a lot of South America. The state was renamed in his honour in the future, as his contributions were important.

Sucre went on developing both economically and politically after independence. It was incorporated in the Great State of Bermudez in 1891, but its boundaries were clearly drawn as an independent federal state in 1909. The 20th century experienced the growth of its fishing industry, which at one point supplied close to half of Venezuela's national harvest. Without the most infamous natural calamities which occurred in the state, such as the Cariaco earthquake in 1997, which resulted in major damage and tremendous losses to lives.

Today, Sucre is still a historic place of visit not only due to the birth of Antonio Jose de Sucre and the place where Columbus in Venezuela made his first landing, but also because of the Maya heritage, culture and architecture representative of colonial heritage found in the place.

Culture

The Sucre culture is a rich fusion of indigenous, Spanish, and African influences, and it developed due to the impact of centuries of interaction and assimilation. Its position on the coast, as well as its dependence on fishing activities, has led to the birth of a maritime identity, whereas fertile lands of trade and topography have led to a farming culture.

Music and dance are the core aspects of the cultural life of Sucre. The joropo oriental, as a local variation of Venezuela's national dance, is danced using such instruments as a mandolin, cuatro, and maracas. Traditional music is common in festivals, accompanied by the Afro-Caribbean rhythms, which demonstrate the favourable African background of the communities residing on the coastlines. Along with the state of great cities, Carupano boasts of having one of the most colourful carnivals in Venezuela that has taken over the local creativity, intermingled with the catholic traditions, playing with costumes, music, and parades in the streets.

Religious holidays are not negligible either. The celebration of the patron saints, like the feast of the Virgen del Valle, is characterised by the processions, masses, and meetings of people. Such events tend to blend catholic practices with folk cultures, resulting in a special cultural stream.

Sucre has cuisine that is reminiscent of its coastal richness. Food is centred around seafood, and food like cazon (dogfish) empanadas, fried fish, and seafood stews are a main principal diasporic ingredient. Coconuts, plantains and cassava are also common, usually accompanied by fish or shellfish in order to make rich, fruitful meals. Another product that the state also produces is rum, especially in the town of Carupano, where the production of rum by the distilleries started as early as the colonial era.

Art and architecture also add cultural value to Sucre. Cumana is a proud owner of the city of churches, forts, and plazas in the period of colonial times, such as the Castle of San Antonio de la Eminencia and the Cathedral of Cumana. The current arts and crafts are still famous and prosper at local markets and cultural centres in the rehabilitation of historical structures.

Language

Spanish is the first and most common language in Sucre, as it is in the rest of Venezuela. It is the government and education, and the language of everyday communication. Nonetheless, the language background of the state is more complex than this may suggest.

Native Indians (Cumanagoto and Chaima), before colonisation by the Spanish, used their own languages, which were part of the family of Cariban and the Arawaks. Although such languages are no longer used in Sucre nowadays, they have had their own legacy reflected in the names of the places, oral traditions and cultural memory. There is still a presence of words of indigenous origin in the local vocabulary, especially when it is needed to use with references to flora and fauna or to geographical features.

Sucre's Spanish language is local in nature, making it distinct from other regions of Venezuela. The dialects of the coastlands tend to be fast-paced and to diminish consonants, as a development out of the languages of the Caribbean Sea, and through the oral customs of the fishermen. Such linguistic difference is a distinctive aspect of the state culture, so this aspect connects it to the whole Caribbean world.

Geography

Sucre is one of the most interesting states in Venezuela in terms of its geographical aspects. Its only neighbours to the north and west are the Caribbean Sea, its eastern boundary is the Gulf of Paria, and to the south, its neighbours are Monagas and Anzoategui states. Two major peninsulas make up its landscape, the Araya Peninsula and the Paria Peninsula, just to the west and east, respectively. These peninsulas reach into the Caribbean, forming gulfs, bays, as well as coastal plains that are the core of the economy and brand of the state.

Sucre is a diverse area with coastal plains and beaches all the way up to the rough terrain of mountains and rich valleys. Venezuela is covered by the northeastern highlands, which are an area belonging to the coastal mountain system in the country, and these peaks have nearly 2,600 meters in height. These mountains are precipitated in cloud forests and act as extremely essential watersheds in the region. The most significant river of the state is the Manzasar River, which passes through Cumana in the state, supplying water to agricultural sectors as well as urban populations.

The climate of Sucre is tropical, and it also changes based on the elevation and proximity to the coastline. The coast regions are humid and hot, whereas the mountains have colder climates. The rainfall is not evenly spread, with arid and dry western regions of the state, including the Araya Peninsula and the lush and rainy area, being classified as the Paria Peninsula, which harbours dense forests and other diverse ecosystems.

The state is endowed with natural resources. Salt flats lie at the Araya Peninsula, which has been exploited since colonialism. There is one of the largest natural asphalt reserves in the world in Lake Guanaco. The lands of the valleys are cultivated, as the cacao, coffee, coconuts, bananas and sugarcane are grown there. As well, Venezuela is the biggest producer of avocados and mapuey, which is a tuber just like yams.

However, the economy of Sucre is fishing-based. The fishery fleet of the state amounts to almost half of the fishing fleet and is an important source of national catch: sardines, tuna, shrimp and lobster. Not only do local communities survive under this industry, but raw materials serve the fish-canning and processing industry that is domiciled in Cumana and Carupano.

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