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In the Secondary or Mesozoic Era, the sauropod Titanosaurus and the theropod Carnotaurus Sastrei lived in Bagua. In those days, Bagua was a coastal region (see picture 1), so on its soil we currently find both specimens of marine origin (clams, ammonites, and other mollusks) (see photo 2), and terrestrial specimens (herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs) (see photo 3),



The Baguatherium jaureguii lived 31 million years ago in the valley of what is now lower Utcubamba, it was a mammal 3 meters long and 2.5 tons in weight. They were characterized by having two pairs of upper tusks and a lower pair, they had elephantine legs, a massive body and a small trunk, they had the hydrid characteristics of a rhinoceros and a sachavaca; paleontologists point out that it fed on plants that grew on the shores of a sea located in what is now the Amazon.



Around 1300 to 200 BC. C. (formative period) the great Bagua Culture flourished in the areas, which is one of the oldest in northeastern Peru. According to archaeologist Ruth Shady, who discovered this culture, the Bagua were communities experienced in pottery, agriculture, hunting and fishing; When they were consolidated, they strengthened ties with peoples further north and central Peru.



In the 15th and 16th centuries the entire valley of the lower Utcubamba was inhabited by the Bagua nation. According to Diego Palomino's document called the Relationship of the Provinces in Chuquimayo (Chinchipe), the Bagua were expert swimmers, they cultivated the land, they had their homes on the bank of the Bagua River (today the Utcubamba River). Palomino also informs us that the Bagua had their own language, which, like many other aboriginal languages, has become completely extinct (see photo 4).



Starting in the 16th century, the Spanish made their first forays into what is today both the Bagua and Utcubamba provinces. Captain Juan Porcel de Padilla was the first Spaniard to reach these latitudes, founding the disappeared town of Jerez de la Frontera. In 1535 Captain Alonso de Alvarado came in pursuit of some indigenous people and reached the height of Tomependa (Pongo de Rentema). In the year 1549 Diego Palomino traveled through the Utcubamba valley, then he went both to what is currently Jaén and San Ignacio to found the primitive Jaén on the left bank of the chinchipe.



In May 1902, Manuel Antonio Mesones Muro, the ethnologist Enrique Bruning and the engineer Habich (delegate of the waterways board) arrived in Bagua with the purpose of demonstrating that Etén and El Marañón could be united in just four days. On the banks of the Utcubamba river they began to prepare a raft of fourteen poles, of which seven were willows, to travel to Puerto Melendez, but because they had not achieved anything better, Mesones reduced the crew and left with only three bogas and a private servant.





The Titanosaur of Bagua M.H.N.J.P. Lima (photo 3).

Map by Diego Palomino (1549) (photo 4). The old town of San Pedro de Baguachica was located approximately one kilometer from the bridge over the La Peca stream; This primitive seat was destroyed by the Aguaruna ethnic group, they feared that their lands would be completely invaded. The survivors moved to the plain, specifically to what is known as ´´Parque Viejo´´ and from here it expanded to its current settlement; to protect it from future incursions in 1862 a barracks house was built as a fort.



The banditry stage occurred between 1914 to 1925, Bagua was a refuge for bandits due to the geography and wild nature, largely jungle where they could easily hide without being seen; The Messías Montenegro group is remembered, but those who achieved greater relevance were the people of Evaristo Rojas Julca. Evaristo Rojas Julca could only be defeated by the passage of time, becoming the first provincial mayor of Bagua.



By law 9364 of September 1, 1941, President Manuel Prado created the province of Bagua, raising it to the category of city; at that time the districts of Copallín, La Peca, Bagua Grande, Jamalca, Yamón, Lonya Grande, El Parco and El Cenepa comprised its domains.



On December 11, 1944, the Chiclayo-Jaén highway was inaugurated, since then groups of bagüino workers rose carob trees, cuyushinas and sapotes to open a trail to the towns of Bagua and Bagua Grande, for the first time the province obtained a direct benefit from the proximity to the port of Bellavista.



In 1945, the plague of locusts occurred, which greatly affected the crops, so much so that the Executive Power authorized the opening of an extraordinary loan, so that the Ministry of Agriculture could attend to the extinction of the locusts.



On April 24, 1950, the ´´Corral Quemado´´ bridge came into operation, greatly benefiting Bagua. After that, Bagua was declared a ´´mountain land area´´, the demands for properties multiplied and both agriculture and cattle ranching reached a high level of production, due to the intense migrations of coastal and mountain people.



The dismemberment of the mega province began on May 18, 1984, when the province of Condorcanqui was created; the territorial dislocation continued and on May 30 of that same year the province of Utcubamba was created.







The city of Bagua, capital of the province of Bagua, is located on a natural platform raised on the right bank of the Utcubamba river; at 400 meters above sea level on the cliffs of the Utcubamba river, on the highest promontories such as the Buen Pastor cemetery, 500 meters above sea level and 575 meters above sea level on Cerro dos de Mayo.



It is located in the northern part of the country, its capital is in the lower Utcubamba valley. It limits to the north with Ecuador and the Province of Condorcanqui, to the east with the last named province, to the south with the Province of Utcubamba, and to the west with the Department of Cajamarca. it is naturally a city of flora and fauna and much to explore.







Pongo de Rentema: (La Peca-Bagua) is the entrance of the Marañón River in the central mountain range. It is located only 14 km from the city of Bagua and 400 meters above sea level

Numparket-Nueva Esperanza Waterfall: (Aramango-Bagua) has a fall of 90 m high, its waters will constitute the Aramango ravine.

El Tigre Waterfall: (Copallín-Bagua) located in the El Tigre sector (Cerro el Mono), You have to take mobility from Copallìn to Cambiopitec and then walk 3 hours to get to El Tigre, there is a bridle path and the waters they are going to thicken the Copallín creek.

San José Alto Waterfall: (Copallín-Bagua) is located in the San José del Alto hamlet and has three waterfalls that are located in the upper course of the La Flora stream, 2.5 ha on foot from Copallín and 40 minutes by mobility to San José del Alto, from where you walk for an average hour, following the left bank of the ravine.

Laguna El Porvenir: (Aramango-Bagua) its area is 1.5 km. The depth of 80 m in the deepest part. It is only two hours from Bagua, by rural truck. It is favorable for swimming and boating.

Archaeological site of Anguyo Alto or Llactán: (La Peca-Bagua) is located two hours from the town of Arrayán, It is a series of buildings on the skirt of the central mountain range of the Andes, the structures are semi-circular. and possibly it served as a surveillance place, since from there you can see the entire valley of the lower Utcubamba, Marañón and Chinchipe.

Caverns of Cambiopitec: (Copallín-Bagua) are two caverns that in the formative period had human occupation, it is located in the hamlet of Cambiopitec; To get there you have to bustle for two and a half hours on foot or thirty minutes by car from the town of Copallín; stairways have been built for access. Anytime in the year is a good time for visits.

El Eden speleological complex: (Copallín-Bagua) is located between the villages of Pan de Azúcar and Soles, at a distance of two hours on foot from Copallín. There is a conglomeration of caves, they are 5 of both small and medium heights and have an approximate depth of 400 m.

Morochal Caverns: (Copallín-Bagua) located in Morochal, 2 and a half hours walk from Copallín. There are 5 deep and mysterious caves eroded by groundwater.

Devil's Mouth Cavern: (Copallín-Bagua) located in the Monte de los Olivos farmhouse, a 3-hour walk from Copallín to the Buenos Aires farmhouse. From there you have to walk about 10 minutes along a bridle path in a mountainous area. Inside we can see large blocks of stone with suggestive shapes, it has a depth of 500 m, the entrance is very rough.

Churuyacu Cavern: (La Peca-Bagua) this cave is located one hour from the La Peca district, between winters and coffee crops. Its entrance is rugged, its interior with large and narrow passages, a large number of stalactites and stalacmites.

El Arenal Canyon: (La Peca-Bagua) beautiful natural cut of the mountain range made by the La Peca creek.

Native communities: (Bagua and Condorcanqui) are ethnic groups that belong to the group of Jíbaros. They inhabit the jungle districts of Bagua, Aramango and Imaza. They have their own dialect and unique craftsmanship. Representatives of this human group are the Aguarunas and Huambisas.

Local fauna: (Copallín-Bagua) the national bird of Peru (the cock of the rocks) inhabits the place, in the same way as the yellow-tailed woolly monkey (the only endemic monkey in Peru and in danger of extinction).

Quinine tree: (La Peca) grows the greatest plant symbol of the country, the cinchona tree or also known by the living of the place as cascarilla.



Myths and legends



The Great Paw Warlock



The original inhabitants of the city of Bagua said that in remote times inhabited the imposing Cerro Brujo Pata, a woman initiated in the occult arts, with enough determination, raised her offspring so that when they were old they would be aware of her. One day she implored them to go to work to support her, as she was old enough to continue supporting her. The children, instead of obeying their mother, devoted themselves to the beautician, very soon the neighbors came complaining; To teach them off, the sorceress cut off her legs and prepared a soup with it that she fed them when the derailed arrived, at the time of finishing the ´´banquet´´ she just rebelled the ingredients. Horrified, the boys understood their mistake, reflected and then became honored (Compiled by historian Alexánder Albán Aléncar).



El Brujo Pata was considered good by some and bad by others. They said that it was bad, because it made cattle (cows, horses, donkeys) and even people disappear, and that it was good because it was a protector of the forest and animals, for which it became a lion, a snake and a large horse. When deer hunting occurred, the enraged lion would roar loudly from the top of the hill to scare the hunters. (Compiled by OSCAR ROLANDO TAFUR PALCO

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