Credit: Nuestro Stories
The San Jose del Cabo Anuiti Mission was founded in 1730 by the Jesuit Friar Nicolas Tamaral, though the mission and the friar didn’t last very long in the area. By 1734, an uprising of the Pericu people against the colonizers ensued, in which Tamaral was killed, and the original mission completely destroyed.
The Pericu tribe’s abilities were pivotal to the mission
The Pericu tribe (also known as the Pericues) inhabited the area now known as San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, with archaeological evidence pointing to their existence extending as far back as 11,000 years. They were known for their advancements in maritime technology, including wooden rafts and double-bladed paddles and they were known as consummate divers.
It was their strength and craftiness, along with their ability to hunt with bow and arrow, that allowed the Pericu to hold strong in their rebellion against the colonizers for nearly three years before the Spanish completely snuffed it out. In 1737, Friar Seguismundo Taraval was sent to rebuild the mission.
As though some sort of preternatural, unseen force seemed to be following the mission, no matter how many times it was rebuilt, there seemed to be continued issues. It was relocated in 1753 to Santa Rosa but was completely destroyed in a flood that happened in 1759. It was not rebuilt until 1799. Thirty years later, in 1822 the town was laid under siege by a filibuster led by Lord Thomas Cochrane. The mission was severely damaged and abandoned, which is how it remained until 1833 when all missions were secularized.
Read more: The Uncontacted Tribes of Latin America Who Continue to Resist Outsiders
In 1840, they relocated the mission to its original location in San Jose – and it was destroyed, yet again, in 1918 during a devastating hurricane that overtook the area. They did not complete the final rebuild until 1940.
Now, the church serves as a functioning Catholic church.
Things to Know Before You Go:
- The Mission is open for public mass every day.
- Mon-Fri at 7 am.
- Saturday at 7 am.
- Sunday 7 am, 10 am, 12 Noon, 7 pm.
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