San Luis derives from the name it was given in 1522 when soldiers of Pedro de Alvarado arrived here on this saint's day (August 25).

A number of stories exist about the town's beginnings but the most widely accepted has that the area was settled by the Tlapanecos, a group descended from a race called the Yopes.

[3] Alvarado came here under orders of Hernán Cortés to establish the town, naming it Villa de San Luis.

[1] In late April and early May, the Nahuas in this community participate in this event of pre-Hispanic origins to bring about the rainy season and to assure good crops.

During this time these people offer birds, flowers, food, copal and wax figures at the various hills and other places considered sacred.

[5] The rain petition begins on the last days of the festival when men in masks, wearing jute sacks and carrying whips, called "tlacololeros" move in procession to the community leader's house.

Last but not least, in the center of the town, men with leather masks, huge gloves and orange, yellow or green overalls painted to make them look like tigers (or sometimes jaguars) gather in groups of up to 22 to stage fights.

Younger boys, are dressed similarly by their fathers, with cardboard masks and have the tasks of keeping the crowds back and sometimes helping one tiger against another.