SAYULITA LEGENDS: El Guango

Full Name: Guillermo Rodriguez Isiordia.

Do you have a nickname “apodo” what does your nickname mean?

They call me “El Guango”, There was a time when there was a governor who did not allow the sale of beer on Sundays, there was a rule that you would have to consume food first to be able to order an alcoholic beverage. One day, the restaurant was full, and I was cooking alone when a diver named “el verde” arrived with two baskets of oysters and asked if he could shuck them there, and then he ordered multiple beers. I was so tired that I called him “tocayo” (namesake), and he asked me why I called him that. I said it’s because I’m so exhausted “guango”  from cooking, and you guys are so exhausted “guango” from drinking beer. From then on, “el verde” started calling me “guango,” and it stuck.

Age:  71 Años

Where are you originally from? 

Sayulita 

How long have you lived in Sayulita? 

All my life

What are the biggest changes you have seen in Sayulita over the years?

The tourism that has grown over the years, in 1974 was when it all began. There weren’t many people, but there were Americans who discovered the town, and they brought more people, and that’s how it grew little by little.

Where is your favorite spot in all of Sayulita?

The main beach, in front of my restaurant “El Costeños,” holds many good memories for me here.

Any memories of Sayulita that you would like to share?

My childhood, growing up here in Sayulita, was something really special. I remember when there was no electricity, and we would sleep outside with a mat on the street. There were some people who thought it would be funny and tie a can to a donkey to wake us up.

The traditions in Sayulita are slowly disappearing, but before, on Holy Saturday, a straw or cloth doll was made and burned in the square. It was a tradition from the Judas festivities, food was also placed in the square for people to collect. This stopped because there were too many people in the town, and they couldn’t leave the food unattended or it would be stolen immediately. I remember Zacharias Alvarez, who was a very active man about town. He was a poet and a great organizer, always arranging lively gatherings and festivities.

Sayulita has a rich history, before tourism, people sustained themselves on coconuts, oil, and lemons. Zacharias Alvarez would distribute the ripe lemons among the people in the town.

I remember that there was a beautiful tradition on September 5th, where all the locals would come together to clean the town and clear the overgrown areas with machetes.

If you could change one thing in Sayulita, what would it be?

I love this town and i think it’s important to keep the town clean and contribute to its upkeep. Investors should also collaborate with the locals and help keep the place clean.

Anything else you might want to share?

Id like to invite everyone to come and enjoy the Sayulita beach, please also remember to keep it clean.