NICARAGUA: Streetart San José del Sur - Graffiti and Urban Art Collection

San José del Sur is a small rural village with approximately 1.000 inhabitants in the southeast of Ometepe Island in the Rivas Department in southwestern Nicaragua. Historically, the village is one of the many small settlements that developed on Ometepe in pre-Hispanic times, and today it is home to families whose daily lives are strongly influenced by the lake, the fertile volcanic soil, and access to nature. For centuries, the area has served as a hub for fishermen, farmers, and local traders, who are connected to the larger towns on the island by trails and simple paths. At the same time, San José del Sur offers a picturesque location on the shores of Lake Nicaragua with views of the Maderas volcano and other landscapes on the island. And naturally beautiful art can also be found here in the streets and on the walls of the houses. The photos were taken by MELITTA HORVATH. If you want to contribute to this project and if you also have photos of graffiti and streetart from this location, send them to info@vagabundler.com.

„The Bible House in Parque Central“

„Cuando veo tus cielos, obra de tus dedos, la luna y las estrellas que tú formaste, digo: ¿Qué es el hombre para que tengas de él memoria, y el hijo del hombre, para que lo visites?“ (Salmo 8:3‑4) – „When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have set in place, I ask: What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?“ (Psalm 8:3‑4)

„Los cielos cuentan la gloria de Dios, y el firmamento anuncia la obra de sus manos.“ (Salmos 19:1) – „The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.“ (Psalm 19:1)

„En el principio Dios creó los cielos y la tierra.“ (Génesis 1:1) – „In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.“ (Genesis 1:1)

Location: Parque Central

„Love for Dancing and Flowers“

„Tribute to Rubén Darío“

The well-known Spanish phrase „Si la patria es pequeña, uno grande la sueña“ comes from the Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío. Translated in English it means „If the homeland is small, one dreams of it as great,“ He wrote it in his poem „Retorno“ from the book „El canto errante“ from 1907.

„Viva Sandino“ – „Long lives Sandino“

Augusto C. Sandino lived from 1895 to 1934 and was a Nicaraguan guerrilla leader, national hero, and known for his resistance against US interventions in Nicaragua during the 1920s and 1930s. He led the „Ejército Defensor de la Soberanía Nacional“, in English „Army for the Defense of National Sovereignty“, and is revered as a symbol of anti-imperialism and national resistance. Ometepe, the island in Lake Nicaragua, is part of the area where Sandino and his troops were active, particularly during the guerrilla battles against the US Marines and Nicaraguan conservative forces.

„El Güegüense“

El Güegüense is a satirical drama from Nicaragua, considered one of the oldest known theatrical forms in the Americas, combining elements of dance, music, theater, and folklore. El Güegüense is the title and main character of the tradition, often portrayed as a cunning, humorous old man; the name comes from Nahuatl and roughly translates to „old, wise man.“

Don Ambrosio is another character in the play; he is El Güegüense’s younger son. Macho Ratón is another name or nickname for El Güegüense himself and literally means „macho rat,“ appearing in some older titles of the work.