Las Tablas was founded on July 19, 1671, by a group of Spaniards who lived in the city of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion in Panama.
Forced to flee after the looting of this city by the English pirate Henry Morgan. According to oral accounts passed down from generation to generation, during their journey a strong wind pushed the ship in which they were traveling towards the coasts of the current province of Los Santos. Faced with this outcome and given the poor condition of the ship, the Spaniards decided to disembark on the coast and go in search of nearby towns. While on the landing task, by accident a golden image of the Virgin Mary, the size of a person, fell into the waters of the river. Seeing the uproar caused by the incident, the chief of the tribe who lived on the river bank jumped into the water with the intention of recovering it, but the gesture was in vain and ended up costing him his life. In honor of this heroic act, the Spanish named the river Mensabe (of Mensabi).
Two Stories: One Incredible and the Other Logical
Up to this point, all the legends and history agree. However, from that punt in the story on, there are two popular versions that differ about the origin of the town of Las Tablas.
The first (and most popular) is closely related to its patron saint: Santa Librada. It was said that the newcomers headed towards the center of what is now the Azuero peninsula in search of a Spanish town; On the way they ran into some rocks and in the center of these rocks the image of a saint was spotted. Amazed, the Spaniards fell to their knees before the sublime apparition and recognized that the beautiful stone statue was of the young martyr Santa Librada. The Spanish took the image to their camp, but it disappeared. Horrified, they searched for her in all the areas near the camp; but it did not appear. Days later they found her again right where they had found her the first time. Time after time they carried it back to the camp, and time after time the image returned to the stone mound. Given this, the Spanish understood that the saint wanted them to settle in that area.
However, the Spanish were reluctant to move, since much of the land was an area that became swampy in the rainy months. But at the insistence of the image of Santa Librada for being in that area, they agreed to move their camp.
The second legend is related to the fact that the first houses that were built were made with the wooden boards from the dismantling of the stranded ship, and because of the mockery of the locals who said “Let’s go to the board houses.” This version has its own logic, characteristic of the way people usually speak.
The Rivalry Between Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo is Born
The story goes that the Spaniards who ran aground on the coast of Los Santos arrived at the village known as La Ermita de la Santa Cruz, where there was an altar; and La Santa Cruz, La Divina Pastora and San Isidro Labrador were venerated. The new inhabitants built their houses with the boards from the ships where they had embarked (hence the name Las Tablas); and for thanking the Saint they promised to place her in the first chapel they found. Here the rivalry is born, because the devotees of the Holy Cross and the first settlers refused to receive the saint on the altar.
Since then, a small rivalry began between the devotees of Santa Librada and those of Santa Cruz. However, with the passing of time the town takes Santa Librada as its patron saint.
Although they agreed on their Catholic devotion, the rivalry continued as a tradition. The religious authorities at that time decided to change the date of these tuna or student fights that took place during the Patron’s celebration to the days before Lent, being the beginning of the story that is now known as Las Tablas carnival.
The Legacy of the Third President of Panama
Belisario Porras was born on November 27, 1856, he was a lawyer, writer, educator, poet, politician, journalist, diplomat, as well as father of 13 children. He was the president of Panama between 1912 to 1916, 1918 to 1920 and 1920 to 1924.
His tireless work and his example as a citizen inspired the creation of the Belisario Porras Museum downtown Las Tablas, opposite the park with the same name, dedicated entire to the third president of Panama. President Porras was born in this old residence and it was where his grandparents lived. Declared a National Historical Monument, from the entrance of the museum there is a bust dedicated to this illustrious Panamanian.
However, inside, the whole museum is in one large room, and its content is extensive in history, since it has been part of the development of the country.
Among the things that can be found are the presidential band that he used in his 3 presidencies, diplomas, decorations, a battery telegraph, photographs of his works, some of his furniture, personal objects among other things.
