Hondurans

Hondurans (Hondureños; also Catrachos) are the citizens of Honduras. Most Hondurans live in Honduras, although there is also a significant Honduran diaspora, particularly in the United States, Spain, and many smaller communities in other countries around the world. Latin Americans refer to a person from Honduras as a Catracho or Catracha. The term was coined by Nicaraguans in the mid-19th century when Honduran General Florencio Xatruch returned from battle with his Honduran and Salvadoran soldiers after defeating American freebooters commanded by William Walker, whose purpose was to re-establish slavery and take over all of Central America. As the general and his soldiers returned, some Nicaraguans yelled out ¡Aquí vienen los xatruches!, meaning "Here come Xatruch's boys!" However, Nicaraguans had so much trouble pronouncing the general's Catalan last name that they altered the phrase to los catruches and ultimately settled on las catrachas or los catrachos. Before the conquest, "Honduras was inhabited by an aboriginal population descended from different ethnic groups." 1 Among these are: Los Lencas, Payas, Chorotegas, Xicaques, Chortis, just to mention a few. All of these groups lacked "cultural unity," and "probably had a Mesoamerican and South American cultural origin. "According to some historians: «These cultures achieved great progress in the various fields of human knowledge, driven by the development of a varied agriculture ... In this way they guaranteed adequate food for their large population. They also applied techniques of great perfection in fabrics and ceramics. They developed an intense and varied trade. » In the north-western section of Honduras predominated the peoples of the Chortís, a Mayan group located in Copán and Ocotepeque, and the Lencas that extended through the departments of Santa Bárbara, Lempira, Intibucá, La Paz, Comayagua, Francisco Morazán and Valle. And part of what today comprises the territory of El Salvador.