Pre-Columbian Native American Chocolate, American Culture, And Religion

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History: Cultures

Pre-Columbian Native American Chocolate, American Culture, and Religion

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Pre-Columbian Native American Chocolate, American Culture, and Religion

Introduction

The chocolate consumed in several parts of the world today has an old history that traces

its origin to the Equatorial South, Central America and the regions that surround and include the

Amazon. Its oldest history can easily be linked to the people of Mesoamerica of the ancient

times. The original only source of the chocolate was the Cacao seeds .Having many theories

surrounding it, there are several beliefs that the chocolate was earlier on considered as food that

inspires health and generates power to human beings. It was deemed divine in nature and was

used as a form of currency on several occasions.

It is due to this that a lot of importance was

attached to it, making it survive generation after generation to exist today.

Other sources of information however present information that claims it was not men but

monkeys who first discovered the Cacao plant from which the chocolate is originated. The Cacao

plant has ball-shaped pods with very bright colors that look attractive from afar even as they

hang on the trees. Monkeys easily identified these pods and picked them majorly for the

consumption of the pulp that lies within the pods. The seeds that lay within these pods were

however bitter and thus were discarded by the monkeys and even man as he later joined the

primates in consuming the fruit.

As these seeds were discarded by everyone allover and across,

distribution took place and they sprouted all over the pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.

Background of the Pre-Columbian Native American and the Chocolate

Having a relatively long historical and archaeological record, the beans of Cacao which are used

to make chocolate in today’s modern world have existed for quite some time. The process of

. Staller, John and Michael Carrasco. Pre-Columbian foodways interdisciplinary approaches to

food, culture, and markets in ancient Mesoamerica (New York: Springer, 2010), 312.

. Peskin, Lawrence and Edmund Wehrle. America and the world: culture, commerce, conflict

(Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012), 15.

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making chocolate from these beans has been modified again and again in the several years since

their discovery. The initial discovery of the ability of these seeds to produce sweet aroma and

make chocolate is however linked to pre-Columbian Paleo Indians. This dates to years as far as

3500 BCE. The Mesoamericans who were basically pre-Columbian started using these beans at

around the same time. As at the time, the beans were combined with several other ingredients,

they were then grounded and a beverage which was bitter made out of them.

This group of individuals had their professions based in hunting and gathering and they

inhabited the southern parts of North America.

Agriculture found its way into these

communities later as a matter of necessity. Part of the reasons that necessitated agriculture to

these pre-Columbian communities was the Cacao tree. Between the years 240 to 910 CE, most

Mesoamericans took the initiative that saw the trees increase in number. Many trees were taken

from the rainforests and the equatorial regions. They were then replanted in farming fields where

they could be tendered as they grew. From these fields, harvesting was very possible and the

seeds could be easily separated from the other contents of the pods in large scales. The process of

drying the seeds, roasting, fermenting and grinding them would then be undertaken. At the end

of these, the products were made into a paste which was finally consumed.

Transformation from Fruits to Seeds; the Olmecs

Though not clearly known, the time of transformation when focus shifted from the fruit

to the seed must have been between 1200 to 300BC. Some theories explain that there is a

possibility that the seeds that were deemed bitter must have fallen on fire accidentally. As they

burnt, the roasting aroma that they produced was sweet and full of the smell of chocolate. As

such, the natives were attracted and thought more about getting rid of the beans any more. It is

possible that they tried to roast the beans and found out that they would make what was later to

. Ibid., 25.

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become chocolate. Another theory explains that all the contents of the pod must have fermented

at one time. They then resulted into a sweet pasty concoction that is related to a traditional one

called Cacao Chica. As this occurred, the beans became softer and were easy to chew as they

also fermented.

Though the theories that explain this transition are not clear, it is believed that they took

place within the settlement of a tribe that was referred to as the Olmecs. The Olmecs are one of

the most ancient tribes in this region. They dwelt in Central Mexico and their dominance spread

mostly to the southern parts. They belonged to the tropical lowlands. They take credit for being

the first in domesticating the plant and subjecting its beans to processes that would end in

chocolate production. Within the tribe, cultural beliefs had it that these seeds improved health

and inspired power and charisma. Archaeological reports of study trace an integration of the

beans into the diet and food of the Olmecs from as early as 600BC.

The Pre-Columbian Mayans and the Chocolate

Considered in terms of cultural advancement and civilization; the Mayans grade first

among other Mesoamericans. Their culture is viewed as one of the most sophisticated in relation

to the rest. Their Classic Age, falling between the years 300 and 900 A.D. saw the origin of

civilizations like construction of cities using pyramids, the development and construction of an

advanced calendar and the creation of a written language. These people were considered as the

first true devotees of Chocolates. They treasured the seeds of Cacao and all its products. In an all

inclusive combination, it was prescribed as a mood enhancer and restoration drug. It did not take

long before the chocolate became integrated into their culture and religion. As a result of the

. Ibid., 34.

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integration, chocolate was later used as a special gift, taken in several ceremonies and covered

with a lot of mythologies.

Today’s archaeology has evidence of the specialty that was attached to the Cacao seeds

among the Maya. Potteries and several other offerings and gifts have been traced from tombs that

attest to this. In some of the potteries or paintings, there are pictures royalties that have been

served with Cacao. There are other occasions when individuals or perceived deities are presented

to fight over Cacao, thereby indicating that Cacao was important and necessary. It is however

important to note that there were no chocolate bars or sweets as there are today. In several

occasions, fried or roasted beans would be crushed and made into a crude paste that would then

be mixed with several spices to produce a chilly like frothy paste. At other times, porridge and

other dishes were made from a mixture of the cacao grindings in combination with several other

ingredients.

The Pre-Columbian Toltecs and the Chocolate

The chocolate always survived all generations and groups. The control of Mayans was

later to be overthrown by the Toltecs. Yet the Cacao would still survive. One of the main reasons

the Maya and the Toltecs fought was to struggle over the control of lands that were major

growing fields of the Cacao plants. This was extended to the trading rights that each group had

over the Cacao markets and production. With the attachment of divine powers, the Cacao

planting and trading became a major issue and continued to cause conflicts among several

communities. The Toltecs overran the Mayans at around 900 A.D. The battle over the chocolate

was then to proceed over a very long period of time. In the culture of the Toltecs, a god known

as Quetzalcoatl is believed to have been the one who allowed and gave men the beans of Cacao.

. Grivetti, Louis, and Howard Shapiro. Chocolate: history, culture, and heritage (Hoboken, N.J.:

Wiley, 2009), 25.

. Ibid.

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The belief extends to state that he tutored men on how to tender the plant. As a result of

revealing to men the power of this divine plant, the god Quetzalcoatl was cast out by other gods.

He went away, but left a promise that he would return one day.

The showing up of the Spanish

was somehow then linked to Quetzalcoatl’s return by the Toltecs.

The Pre-Columbian Aztecs and the Chocolate

The Aztecs formed another group that revered and attached a lot of mythologies on

chocolates. Having a membership of not less than fourteen million individuals, the community

commandeered a very large empire that was governed by organized and structured units. Their

dominance existed more between the fourteenth to the sixteenth century. Within the tribe of the

Aztecs, chocolate was a symbol of class. Only the rich could stock, trade and consume

chocolates. There was a mark of nobility in the use of chocolates within the tribe. A lot of value

was attached to the Cacao to the extent that it ended up being the currency and unit of measure.

It is however worth noting that the use of the beans as currency extended long after the collapse

of the Aztecs.

This was in the markets of Central America and stayed until the mid of the

nineteenth century.

In the markets, a number of seeds were measured against an item. For example, a small

rabbit would be sold for about thirty Cacao beans. Similarly, one turkey egg would go for three

beans with one tomato equalizing one bean. Approximately twelve million beans were

exchanged every year in this process of exchange and trading. The king was rumored to be the

one who consumed the highest number of cups of chocolate per day; this believed to be an

enhancement of health and strength. For the king, this number was about forty cups. Many of the

rich and noble families also had large reserves of these beans. Some of the richest homes went as

. Ibid.

. Duyff, Roberta Larson. American Dietetic Association complete food and nutrition guide. 3rd

ed (Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2006), 150.

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far as constructing vaults within their homes where they stashed large numbers of the seeds

which formed the currency.

The Pre-Columbian Native American Chocolate and Religion

The Maya used chocolate during religious rituals, in most times, to stand in place of

blood. Chocolate was used during baptisms and even in marriage ceremonies, where the groom

and the bride shared it. As if to demonstrate the central role that cacao played in terms of

religion, the Native Americans even had a Cacao god. They were, and are still made up of a

majority of a pacifist religious sect, that was a result of the Puritans of the civil war in England,

and the popular Pilgrim Fathers. The talk on chocolate and religion would not be sufficient

without their role in it. Some of the renowned names in chocolate were the Quakers, who for a

long time held a monopoly of chocolate use and making in the native English countries.

Among others, Cadbury, Fry, and Rowntree are the most famous.

It is estimated that before the English civil war that involved the Parliament and King

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, the Quakers who emerged from the Puritans, had already started their religious

association with chocolate. Being of the pacifist religious background, they were barred from

most of the normal business activities, therefore as hardworking people who had strong faith in

the work ethic, they got into food related activities and they prospered. Baking was a popular

pass time and occupation for most of them since bread was esteemed as the spiritual “Staff of

Life” and those who baked bread in England were the very first to include chocolate in cakes so

it would be an automatic progression for them to begin making chocolate exclusively.

. Ibid., 152.

. Smith, Andrew. The Oxford companion to American food and drink (Oxford: Oxford

University Press, 2007), 122.

. Ibid., 124.

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On the other hand, the Aztecs had a strong conviction that cacao seeds initially came

from a god who, from paradise, brought cacao to the planet Earth. They too used chocolate in

most of their religious rituals. During most of the rituals and religious ceremonies, most of the

herbs and plants eaten had religious connotations. Chocolate played a significant role in the

Aztec culture and religion. Besides chocolate, there were some other drinks that were taken for

ritual. Such other drinks included atole and itzpacalatl. A mixture of chocolate and water used to

clean the blood from the sacrificial blade, itzpacalatl was a drink that was used in instances of a

sad sacrifice and it presumably made the Aztecs forget about the sad sacrifice and make them go

joyfully into the sacrifice.

Conclusion

The chocolate we consume today has its origin in the Mesoamerica of the ancient times.

Some theories state that it was animals that discovered the cacao plant that was later to make

chocolate. Man then followed suit. Others however give the credence of this discovery to

religion as a divine revelation. Despite all these, it cannot be disputed that the chocolate did form

an integral part of the Pre-Columbian Native American groups. Among the groups involved with

the chocolate were the Olmecs, Mayans, Toltecs and Aztecs. They used the beans of the

chocolate to make chocolate which was not only consumed but also used in ceremonies. The

beans that make the chocolate were considered as among the most precious gifts and offerings.

Chocolate was revered and associated to kings. The beans were also used as currency and used

for trade. Richer families used chocolate more than the poor ones as it was rare and expensive,

and was believed to improve heath.

. Ibid., 126

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Bibliography

Duyff, Roberta Larson. American Dietetic Association complete food and nutrition guide. 3rd ed.

Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2006.

Grivetti, Louis, and Howard Shapiro. Chocolate: history, culture, and heritage. Hoboken, N.J.:

Wiley, 2009.

Peskin, Lawrence and Edmund Wehrle. America and the world: culture, commerce, conflict.

Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012.

Smith, Andrew. The Oxford companion to American food and drink. Oxford: Oxford University

Press, 2007.

Staller, John and Michael Carrasco. Pre-Columbian foodways interdisciplinary approaches to

food, culture, and markets in ancient Mesoamerica. New York: Springer, 2010.

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