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More than 440 people gathered at the María Elena Theater to watch the play “A Century of Love for the Saltpeter Pampas,” during a successful event commemorating the 99th anniversary of the historic Coya Norte nitrates office adopting the name María Elena.
In an emotional ceremony held at the historic María Elena Theater, regional officials, members of the local community and SQM employees gathered to celebrate María Elena’s 99th anniversary—an event dedicated to honoring the history, the Pampa identity and the legacy of the generations who have brought this saltpeter-rich land to life.
The event, organized through a collaborative effort between the Municipality of María Elena and Universidad Católica del Norte, highlighted in particular that the former nitrates office “Coya Norte,” established in 1926 under the Guggenheim system, was renamed María Elena in 1927 in honor of Mary Ellen Condon, and has since become a symbol of hard work, resilience and life in the desert.
As part of this commemoration, the work “Cultural and Outreach Project: A Production from the María Elena Theater: A Century of Love for the Saltpeter Pampas,” was presented to highlight the community’s history and traditions.
“As a woman from the Pampas, born in this region, I am proud to be able to share this with our people and show María Elena to the world.” May 14th is a very important and symbolic date, when the community came together and decided to commemorate the renaming of the town from Coya Norte to María Elena. It has been 99 years since then, and as we approach our centennial, we are happy to be able to highlight our history,” said Viviana Cuello, mayor of María Elena.
The rector of Universidad Católica del Norte, María Cecilia Hernández, remarked, “These are the partnerships that truly warm our hearts as a university, because they allow us to carry out our mission, which is to promote culture and preserve our heritage. And we do this in partnership with a company committed not only to development, but also to preserving our history. This work captures precisely that—that virtuous connection.”
The event also featured artistic performances by local groups. Brotes de Mi Tierra performed Por Siempre María Elena, while the Alicanto Dance and Cueca Group delighted visitors with La Polka del Salitre, a piece created by Jorge Hiche.
One of the most significant moments of the ceremony was the presentation of the “María Elena Centennial Award,” an initiative launched to mark the municipality’s 100th anniversary. This accolade aims to recognize the men, women and institutions who have left an indelible mark on local history through their work, commitment and legacy.
On this occasion, 11 individuals and organizations were honored for their contributions to the development and legacy of María Elena, keeping the spirit of the Pampa alive across generations.
At the activity, Pablo Altimiras, CEO of SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition, commented, “This is a very special moment, a date that calls for doing things differently. In that spirit, we are organizing various events to join with the people of María Elena and local officials, so that more people can learn about life here. In addition, we intend to promote specific initiatives that will help improve the quality of life for the residents of this municipality. “That is why we have projects focused on health, education, heritage preservation and agriculture, among other areas.”
The event reaffirmed the community’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage and identity, creating a living legacy leading up to the centennial that continues to bring its residents together.
Recognition:
Marcelo Tabalí, who received an award in the Culture and Heritage category, said: “I was born and raised in María Elena, and I’m proud to work on preserving our cultural heritage and teaching folklore to children and young people. We’ve already trained six generations; our institution has been in existence for two years, and I’ve been dedicated to folklore for over 30 years.”
Sigfrido Mena, who received an award in the Sports category, said: “It’s a very nice and meaningful recognition. I’m glad it happened here in María Elena, because it was in this town where I built my career in sports.”
For her part, Zoila Miranda, the wife of Carlos Aceituno, who received a posthumous award in the Sports category, commented: “I am touched to accept this award on behalf of my husband. It was a very emotional moment, because all his lifetime accomplishments in María Elena are being recognized. I would like to thank SQM and the municipality for this tribute.”