Najepa's Balls of Fire Festival. Photo by Nejapa El Salvador is famous for its traditional Balls of Fire festival, a unique celebration known worldwide. Nejapa is located in the department of San Salvador, about 17 kilometers from the San Salvador Historic District.
Nejapa is a typical Salvadoran small town in El Salvador with a rich local history and colorful traditions. And just like many other towns in the country, it has ties to colonial times, which enhances its culture.
Culture and Tourism of Nejapa
Nejapa is an attractive location worth visiting. It has fantastic cultural customs and traditions, many of which are embedded in religion.
Nejapa is not a top destination in the country. Nevertheless, Nejapa has excellent cultural traditions which are in full display during its Patron saint festivities.
These festive days are in September, from the 19 to the 30; they honor Saint Jerome, the municipality’s patron saint.
If you want to visit Nejapa as a tourist, it is recommended to do it in September during the patron festivities; or on August 31, during the awesome balls of fire festival.
The Nejapa’s Balls of Fire Festival
The Nejapa Balls of Fire Festival is a local tradition unique to this town that involves religion and history. This unique tradition involves two opposing teams throwing balls of fire at each other.
Think about having a snowball fight, but instead of tossing snowballs, you use balls engulfed in kerosene and on fire. Yes, the two opposing teams fight each other with these fireballs. Fun, is it?
SEE ALSO: El Salvador Celebrations. El Salvador Holidays and Traditions
The festival takes place every year on August 31. According to historians, the celebration has two origins, one historical and one religious.
The regular version explains that in 1658, the El Playon volcano erupted; it forced the villagers of the old Nejapa village, known as Nixapa, to leave and settle at its current location. The festival is a way of remembering that catastrophic event.
The religious version states that during the volcanic eruption, Saint Jerome battled the Devil with fireballs as the lava flowed down from the volcano into the village.
The Balls of Fire celebration is a way of reenacting the fight between good and evil. Saint Jerome is the patron saint of the municipality.
In any case, the Balls of Fire Festival in Nejapa is a unique event worth attending, observing, and experiencing.
Short History of Nejapa El Salvador
Historians believe that Nejapa was originally inhabited by the Pipil Indians in pre-Columbian times. It is theorized that the original settlement was located near the Opico area.
Then, due to the eruption of the El Playon Volcano in 1658, the inhabitants moved to Quezaltepeque; subsequently, they moved to the site it currently occupies.
In 1878, by legislative decree, Nejapa received the title of Villa; eventually, in 1959, again by legislative declaration, Nejapa’s title changed from Villa to City.
Nejapa’s Economy
The economy of the municipality is based on agriculture, farming, manufacturing, and general commerce activities.
The agricultural activity of the municipality is based on the cultivation of coffee, basic grains, vegetables, and fruits.
Nejapa also has livestock farming. It includes the domestic breeding of cattle and pigs, as well as poultry.
The municipality has factories that produce food products; also, there is a beverage bottling factory and a coffee mill.
Additionally, Nejapa has metal structure workshops, bakeries, carpentry, and other industries.
Lastly, the general commerce activities of Nejapa include pharmacies, hardware stores, shoe stores, bookstores, and many others.
Nejapa’s Location
Nejapa is located about 25 kilometers from the city of San Salvador and 58 kilometers from the international airport.
The municipality limits to the North with Quezaltepeque and Aguilares. To the East with Guazapa and Apopa. To the South with San Salvador and Santa Tecla, and to the West with Quezaltepeque.
SEE ALSO: El Salvador Tourism: A Journey Through Pristine Beaches, Colorful Towns, and Enchanting Parks
Nejapa El Salvador
The municipality and town of Nejapa are your typical Salvadoran small community. It’s believed that the total population is less than 40,000; of course, this is a general estimate as El Salvador does not have an official census.
So, if you ever get the opportunity, I highly recommend you visit this municipality. But, you should do it on August 31st to see the Balls of Fire Festival; or visit during the patron saint festivities in September.
