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El Esquilinchuche is a small village in the municipality of Juticalpa, Olancho, Honduras.

Topography and access

El Esquilinchuche sits on a low rise that forms the banks of the flood plain of the Guayape river that lies approximately 2 kilometers to the south during the dry season, but comes to within 400 meters during the annual monsoon floods.

Esquilinchuche is connected to the main Olancho highway from Jutiquile, via 10 kilometers of dirt road, passing through the other small town of El Portrero, or via the highway junction closer to Catacamas leading through the small town of Arimis, with only 6 kilometers of dirt road.

Government

Esquilinchuche is loosely governed by a local group of village elders known as the 'patronato'. There are no governmental offices of any kind to be found in Esquilinchuche or the surrounding small towns.

The name

El Esquilinchuche is known by its residents to be named for a large tree with sparse long leaves (approximately 1.5 x 8 inch) and prominent white five petaled flowers that once grew in abundance in the town. The Esquilinchuche tree has a very soft wood and is identifiable by the milky sap that oozes out when any branch is cut. Today there are no Esquilinchuche trees in El Esquilinchuche. The tree is said to be named for Esquiline Hill, one of the famous seven hills of Ancient Rome.

Residents and town amenities

The residents of this mostly agricultural community for the most part dedicate themselves to agricultural pursuits. The several small stores ("pulperias") are set in the living rooms of houses. There are no lodging or other amenities to be found other than freshly prepared foods occasionally offered by some pulperias. El Esquilinchuche boasts a fine Catholic church, an elementary school, a large soccer field, and good quality residential freshwater from a water tower or "pila" set on a low hill next to the Rivera ranch. Electricity first came to the community in the early 1990s. Cell phones now are in common use among the residents of this town that in 2005 boasted one telephone.

During Hurricane Mitch in 1998 the Guayape river lapped at the edges of the town, swallowing three residences that had been built a few feet below the level of the rest of the town. Other than some livestock, there were no fatalities.

A member of the Esquilinchuche patronato with some of his grandchildren and cattle
A pila, commonly used for washing both clothing and dishes in Honduras
Delivery of some 'Carbon' posts in Esquilinchuche
A baptism ceremony in El Esquilinchuche
An Esquilinchuche wedding parade in April 2008, the main ceremony was held in Juticalpa

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{unreferenced}}
+[[Image:Esquilinchuche sign.JPG|thumb|right|Sign on the road to Esquilinchuche]]
 '''El Esquilinchuche''' is a small village in the municipality of [[Juticalpa]], [[Olancho]], [[Honduras]].
-==Topography and Access==
+==Topography and access==
-El Esquilinchuche sits on a low rise that forms the banks of the flood plain of the [[Guayape]] [[river]] that lies approximately 2 kilometers to the south during the dry season, but lies within 400 meters during the annual [[monsoon]] [[floods]].  There are 2 turn-offs you can take to Esquilinchuche from the main Olancho highway, one is in Jutiquile, where 10 kilometers of dirt road, passing through the other small [[town]] of El Portrero, and the other is the highway junction closer to [[Catacamas]] leading through the small town of Arimis, this route is only 6 kilometers of dirt road.
+El Esquilinchuche sits on a low rise that forms the banks of the flood plain of the [[Guayape]] [[river]] that lies approximately 2 kilometers to the south during the dry season, but comes to within 400 meters during the annual [[monsoon]] [[floods]].
+Esquilinchuche is connected to the main Olancho highway from Jutiquile, via 10 kilometers of dirt road, passing through the other small [[town]] of El Portrero, or via the highway junction closer to [[Catacamas]] leading through the small town of Arimis, with only 6 kilometers of dirt road.
-<gallery>
-Image:Esquilinchuche sign.JPG|Sign on the road to Esquilinchuche
-</gallery>
 ==Government==
 Esquilinchuche is loosely governed by a local group of [[village]] [[elders]] known as the 'patronato'.  There are no governmental offices of any kind to be found in Esquilinchuche or the surrounding small towns.
+[[Image:Esquilinchuche_streets_&_school.JPG|thumb|right|Main Street in Esquilinchuche with the school in the background - right.]]
-<gallery>
-Image:Esquilinchuche_streets_&_school.JPG|Main Street in Esquilinchuche with the school in the background - right.
-</gallery>
-</gallery>
 ==The name==
-El Esquilinchuche is known (by its residents) to be named for a large tree with sparse long leaves (approximately 1.5 x 8 inch) and prominent white five petaled flowers that once grew in abundance in the town.  The Esquilinchuche tree has a very soft wood and is identifiable by the milky sap that oozes out when any branch is cut.  Today there are no Esquilinchuche trees in El Esquilinchuche.  The tree is said to be named for [[Esquiline Hill]], one of the famous [[seven hills]] of [[Rome]].
+El Esquilinchuche is known by its residents to be named for a large tree with sparse long leaves (approximately 1.5 x 8 inch) and prominent white five petaled flowers that once grew in abundance in the town. The Esquilinchuche tree has a very soft wood and is identifiable by the milky sap that oozes out when any branch is cut. Today there are no Esquilinchuche trees in El Esquilinchuche. The tree is said to be named for [[Esquiline Hill]], one of the famous [[seven hills]] of Ancient [[Rome]].
 ==Residents and town amenities==
-The [[Residency (domicile)|residents]] of this mostly agricultural community for the most part dedicate themselves to agricultural pursuits.  The several small stores "Pulperias" set in the living rooms of houses.  There are no lodging or other amenities to be found other than freshly prepared foods occasionally offered by some pulperias.  El Esquilinchuche boasts a fine [[catholic church]], an [[elementary school]], a large [[soccer]] field, and good quality residential fresh[[water]] from a [[water]] [[tower]] or 'pila' set on a low [[hill]] next to the Rivera [[ranch]].  [[Electricity]] first came to the community in the early 1990s.  Cell phones now are in common use among the residents of this [[town]] that in 2005 boasted one [[telephone]].
+The [[Residency (domicile)|residents]] of this mostly agricultural community for the most part dedicate themselves to agricultural pursuits. The several small stores ("''pulperias''") are set in the living rooms of houses. There are no lodging or other amenities to be found other than freshly prepared foods occasionally offered by some ''pulperias''. El Esquilinchuche boasts a fine [[Catholic church]], an [[elementary school]], a large [[soccer]] field, and good quality residential fresh[[water]] from a water tower or "''pila''" set on a low [[hill]] next to the Rivera [[ranch]]. [[Electricity]] first came to the community in the early 1990s. Cell phones now are in common use among the residents of this [[town]] that in 2005 boasted one [[telephone]].
+During [[Hurricane Mitch]] in 1998 the [[Guayape]] [[river]] lapped at the edges of the town, swallowing three residences that had been built a few feet below the level of the rest of the town. Other than some livestock, there were no fatalities.
 <gallery>
 Image:Esquilinchuche_pastoral_scene.JPG|A member of the Esquilinchuche patronato with some of his grandchildren and cattle
 Image:Esquilinchuche_washing_machine.JPG|A pila, commonly used for washing both clothing and dishes in Honduras
 Image:Esquilinchuche_post_delivery.JPG|Delivery of some 'Carbon' posts in Esquilinchuche
-</gallery>
-During [[Hurricane Mitch]] in 1998 the [[Guayape]] [[river]] lapped at the edges of the town, swallowing 3 residences that had been built a few feet below the level of the rest of the town.  Other than some livestock, there were no fatalities.
-<gallery>
 Image:Esquilinchuche_Baptism_Ceremony.JPG|A baptism ceremony in El Esquilinchuche
 Image:Esquilinchuche Wedding.JPG|An Esquilinchuche wedding parade in April 2008, the main ceremony was held in [[Juticalpa]]