Janitzio

Janitzio
Island
Isla de Janitzio
Statue of José María Morelos at Janitzio
Statue of José María Morelos at Janitzio
Country Mexico
StateMichoacán
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)

Isla de Janitzio (Spanish pronunciation: [xaˈnitsjo]) is the largest of five islands in Lake Pátzcuaro in the state of Michoacán, Mexico.[1]

The town of Janitzio, which means "maize flower" in Purépecha[citation needed], is located atop a hill on the island. Janitzio can only be reached by boats which run regularly back and forth from about 7:30 am to 6 pm, accessible from Pátzcuaro's pier (embarcadero).[2] The boats take approximately 25 minutes to reach the island.[3] These boats can be hired to take visitors around other parts of the lake.

The town is known for the butterfly fishermen who are skilled at lowering their butterfly-shaped nets to catch "pescado blanco" (Chirostoma estor),[4] a species of freshwater silverside endemic to the lake which is important to the local cuisine. These fisherman were at one time depicted on the reverse of the 50 peso banknote. This banknote is now a valuable collector's item.[5]

The island is the subject of Silvestre Revueltas's 1933 composition Janitzio.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Brandes 2009 p. 77 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Tourism: The Legacy of Conquest in Michoacán". Chicano & Latino Studies | College of Liberal Arts. 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  3. ^ Woodman, Stephen. "A Guide to the Island of Janitzio: Mexico's Butterfly Island". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  4. ^ "Spend Some Time In Patzcuaro". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  5. ^ "¿Sabías qué hay un billete de 50 pesos que vale mucho más que eso?". Life and Style (in Spanish). 2018-02-15. Retrieved 2023-06-08.