# Cocula, Jalisco

Cocula (Nahuatl languages: Cocollán "ondulated place") is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is located 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Guadalajara, on Mexico Highway 80. It sits at an elevation of 4,460 feet (1,360 m). 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.

## 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 (to a lesser degree) 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 Acatlan de Juarez area.
Cocollán was destroyed at the beginning of the 16th century. They 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 (The Star). It had some tributary towns under its control like Acatlan, Villa Corona, Tizapanito, Xilotepetque and Tecolotlán. In 1521, the Spanish army under Alonso the Avalos 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 (Old Cocula).
In 1833, Cocula was declared a city, Cocula is best known as the birthplace of mariachi.

## Culture

Cocula is referred to as "La Cuna del Mariachi," or "The Cradle of Mariachi," given that mariachi music originated there in the 19th century. As one enters or exits Cocula, two large arches, featuring two guitars or violins, bear the inscription "Bienvenidos a Cocula, Cuna Mundial del Mariachi." Many well known mariachi groups have come from Cocula and surrounding areas. A famous Mexican Artist named Jorge Negrete sang a song called "Cocula" that talks about this town and how mariachi originated there.

## Government
### Municipal presidents

| Municipal president | Term | Political party | Notes |
| José Corona Ochoa | 1914 | | |
| José Sánchez N. | 1916 | | |
| Gabriel H. Tortolero | 1916–1917 | | |
| José María Castillo Jiménez | 1918–1919 | | |
| Juan O. Hernándezz | 1918–1922 | | |
| Pablo Preciado | 1922 | | |
| Francisco M. Díaz García | 1924 | | |
| Salvador Molina Rojas | 1925 | | |
| Juan V. Grajeda | 1926 | | |
| Sóstenes Castillo | 1927 | | |
| Gerardo Rodríguez Tapia | 1932 | PNR | |
| Francisco Pérez Camacho | 1934–1935 | PNR | |
| Luis Vargas Pulido | 1935 | PNR | |
| Tomás Ramírez | 1936 | PNR | |
| Aurelio Aréchiga Rubio | 1936 | PNR | |
| Pablo Vázquez Barboza | 1937 | PNR | |
| Celerino Acosta Vargas | 1938 | PRM | |
| J. Ventura Virgen | 1940 | PRM | |
| José de Jesús Aréchiga Terán | 1941–1942 | PRM | |
| Ignacio Arriola Ochoa | 1943–1944 | PRM | |
| Encarnación Vázquez Nuño | 1945 | PRM | |
| José Agustín Valdez Vázquez | 1946 | PRI | |
| José Guadalupe Acosta Bañuelos | 1946 | PRI | |
| Francisco Ixtláhuac Aréchiga | 1947–1948 | PRI | |
| Celerino Acosta Vargas | 1949 | PRI | |
| Enrique Acosta Tortolero | 1950–1951 | PRI | |
| José Raimundo Ibarra Rodríguez | 1953–1954 | PRI | |
| Celerino Acosta Vargas | 1955 | PRI | |
| Guadalupe Ibarra R. | 1956–1958 | PRI | |
| Miguel Allende Morales | 1959–1960 | PRI | |
| Juan Ramírez Nuño | 1960–1961 | PRI | |
| Francisco Vázquez Vázquez | 1962 | PRI | |
| Manuel Terán Mariscal | 1964 | PRI | |
| J. Jesús Águila Díaz | 1965–1967 | PRI | |
| Enrique Silva Plazola | 1967 | PRI | Acting municipal president |
| Rafael Montelongo Rangel | 01-01-1968–31-12-1970 | PRI | |
| J. Luis López Ibarra | 01-01-1971–31-12-1973 | PRI | |
| Carlos Ramírez Corona | 01-01-1974–31-12-1976 | PRI | |
| José Ixtláhuac Virgen | 01-01-1977–31-12-1979 | PRI | |
| Jorge Virgen Serrano | 01-01-1980–31-12-1982 | PRI | |
| Rafael Vázquez Amador | 01-01-1983–1985 | PRI | |
| Carlos E. Arriola Pérez | 01-01-1986–31-12-1988 | PRI | |
| J. Luis Ibarra Moreno | 01-01-1989–1992 | PRI | |
| J. Luis Facundo Guerrero | 1992–1995 | PRI | |
| Arturo Facundo Ramírez | 1995–1997 | PRD | |
| Juan Carlos Orozco Flores | 01-01-1998–31-12-2000 | PRD | |
| Gustavo Cabral González | 01-01-2001–31-12-2003 | PAN | |
| Antonio Vázquez Medina | 01-01-2004–31-12-2006 | PAN | |
| Arturo Facundo Guerrero | 01-01-2007–31-12-2009 | PRD PT | |
| Héctor de Jesús Castillo Andrade | 01-01-2010–30-09-2012 | PAN | |
| Félix Alberto Ibarra Vázquez | 01-10-2012–30-09-2015 | PAN | |
| Francisco Javier Buenrostro Acosta | 01-10-2015–30-09-2018 | PRI PVEM | |
| Miguel de Jesús Esparza Partida | 01-10-2018–05-03-2021 | PT Morena PES | |
| Miguel Ángel Ibarra Flores | 01-10-2021–30-09-2024 | PRI | |

## Gallery

* Cocollán (Hieroglyphic)
* Unofficial Flag of Cocula
* Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel
* Templo de la Cruz
* Plaza principal
* Templo de San Juan
* Templo de San Pedro
* Kiosco
* Fuente
* Entrada y salida principales
* Cementerio Municipal
* Monumento a La Madre
* Plaza de Villa de Cázarez
* El Salto
* El Salto
* Presa
* Maguey
* Biznaga