Santa Ana Nopalucan is a municipality in Tlaxcala in south-eastern Mexico. Other native names for Nopalucan Nopalucan - from the náhuatl “Nopalli“ (prickly pear) and the location (place), Land or region of prickly pears, Nopalucan - ground of the prickly pear and the Tequezquite - ground of the mat and the corn, Land of the tent of the crayfish people, The place where women play an important role in the economic life of this community. Historical overview Pre-hispanic The history of the first settlers of what today is the municipality of Santa Ana Nopalucan goes back to the Olmec culture - Xicalanca, the region of Nopalucan was step by step forced towards the territory of Cacaxtla and Xochitécatl. In its region there was cultivated the cacaxtli, a plant that gave birth to the name of the ceremonial center that was built there. This valley was of great importance when the old Tlaxcaltecas were besieged by the Aztecs and were forced to dispense with the use of salt on their food, which at that time was a marine condiment. It was replaced by "Tequezquite", which was a mineral salt that was collected in Nopalucan and El Carmen Tequexquitla. In these same locations were the main suppliers of the tule or reed mats that were used by the inhabitants to sleep. Similarly, the inhabitants of Nopalucan along with those of Saint Vincent Xiloxochitla, were the main suppliers and transporters of the materials, which were also used for sleep. The tule or junco or reed was extracted from the trenches or canals built to separate the waters of the "Lagunillas" (marshes) and was an important source of trade in the pre-Cortesian artisan markets of the time. It brought great benefits for the inhabitants of Nopalucan. The colony Santa Ana Nopalucan or Santa Anita, was previously what they used to call it, due to the fact that it possessed few inhabitants. There were clay regions which had formed vast areas of 'Lagunillas', which were used during the colonial period for the grazing of livestock, and also where salt was obtained in the gaps. The process of secularization began in Tlaxcala in December 1640, when the then Bishop of Puebla, Juan de Palofox y Mendoza, came in person to this part of his diocese to implement the provisions of the Catholic hierarchy. With this measure, was annulled the concession that the Franciscans shall not allow