INAH reports on sacrificial victims at ancient Maya site in Tabasco

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August 25, 2023

Maya skulls — The skulls, dating from the Late Classic period, appear to have belonged to prominent citizens, who had undergone head-shaping modifications. (INAH)

An investigation of five skulls, discovered four months ago at an ancient Maya temple, revealed that at least two of the individuals had been decapitated in a human sacrifice ritual, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) announced this week.

In April, 13 human burials were found during excavations at the Moral-Reforma Archaeological Zone in the southern state of Tabasco.

Some of the remains were in or near a temple-pyramid structure, and archaeologists dated the burials to the Late Classic period between A.D. 600 and 900. An analysis of skulls, jaw fragments and various bones pointed to decapitation and dismemberment, said Francisco Apolinar Cuevas, the director of the Moral-Reforma archaeological project.

Research over the past few months focused on five skulls and their dental remains, found in front of a stairway of the temple-pyramid structure. It was determined that all came from males, two between 17 and 25 years old, one between 25 and 35, and two between 33 and 45.

With two of the skulls, horizontal cut marks were observed in the craniocervical junction, which includes the bone that forms the base of the skull and the first two bones in the upper spine upon which the head rests.

The cut marks revealed “the use of a sharp object to extract the skull,” said Miriam Angélica Camacho Martínez, an anthropologist from INAH’s Tabasco Center who was in charge of analyzing the remains, “although it is difficult to determine if this injury was the cause of death or if it was done post-mortem.”

The skulls were in several pieces, which suggested that the victims had been decapitated and dismembered. (INAH)

She also pointed out that in evaluating cultural modifications in the set of five skulls, researchers were able to confirm that all the individuals enjoyed a high status in pre-Columbian Maya society (all of them displayed a head-shaping modification done at an early age).

Two of the individuals had jade dental inlays, and some of the deceased were covered with red pigment, she added, without saying what that meant, other than it will help scientists identify which bones go together.

Camacho remarked that analysis will continue on the remains from the April finding and from other excavations at the Moral-Reforma Archaeological Zone. In all, 44 human burials have been discovered in recent months, covering some 1,200 years (from B.C. 300 to A.D. 900).

The excavations are being carried out through the Program for the Improvement of Archaeological Zones (Promeza), and the research is taking place at INAH facilities in Villahermosa, Tabasco.

With reports from MXCity and La Jornada

Explore the treasures in the Museum of the Cultures of Oaxaca

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Joseph Sorrentino

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August 25, 2023

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Gold Mask — The Museum of the Cultures of Oaxaca offers visitors the chance to take a deeper look into the history of one of Mexico's most magical states. Shown here is the gold mask of Xipe Totec, the god of agriculture and sacrifice, among other things. From Tomb 7. (All photos by Joseph Sorrentino)

I’ve visited several museums in Mexico, but none are located in a more beautiful building than the Museum of the Cultures of Oaxaca (Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca) in Oaxaca city.

The museum is housed in the former convent of the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, which was built in the 16th and 17th centuries. A classic Mexican baroque building, it’ll make you feel like you’re back in the colonial era.

The museum is set in a 16th century Spanish convent.

The former convent, converted into a museum in 1972, has a collection occupying 14 rooms spread across the building’s three floors. It’s a great source for learning about the state’s history, from its earliest settlement up through the modern era.

The “Ancient Cultures” hall (Culturas Milenarias) contains pieces from the first human settlements in Oaxaca. These objects showcase ancient artisans’ astonishing technical skills and the belief systems of the region’s various civilizations.

The second hall, called Tiempos de Florecer (Times of Flourishing), covers the Classic Period, between A.D. 200 and 900, with much of the focus on figures from Monte Albán, the ancient mountaintop capital of the Zapotec civilization. In this era, the Zapotecs, who occupied much of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, achieved their peak artistic expression and developed a calendar and a system of writing.

Artifacts that were found in Monte Albán’s Tomb 7 fill an entire room in the museum, and they’re nothing short of stunning. You’ll find these items, unearthed by archaeologist Alfonso Caso in 1932, in Hall III, “The Treasures of Tomb 7.”

The museum offers relics from some of Oaxaca’s earliest civilizations. This calendar is called “Los Portadores de los Años,” (the Bearer of the Years.) It was a calendar developed by the Zapotecans and adapted by the Mixtecos.

Tomb 7 was one of the richest Mesoamerican burial sites ever discovered, containing around 600 pieces made of a variety of precious and semiprecious materials, including gold, turquoise, silver and amber. Although Monte Albán was originally a Zapotec city, the inhabitants abandoned it around A.D. 900. It was subsequently occupied by Mixtecs, who reused the site’s structures, including the tombs.

Tomb 7 is believed to date from about A.D. 1330. It contained the remains of Mixtec rulers or royalty. While its gold pieces and turquoise skull attract most of the attention, Hall III also hosts a display case containing bones with carvings so small and intricate as to defy belief. The carvings refer to events during the Mixtec dynasty.

Other rooms in the museum display artifacts from other ancient sites that arose after Monte Albán’s collapse in A.D. 900, including that of Yagul, Mitla and Zaachila; the ruins of all three are within driving distance of Oaxaca city.

Hall VII is dedicated to the Spanish conquest, and subsequent rooms to the introduction of Catholicism in Mexico and the emergence of a hybrid Indigenous-Spanish culture and Spanish and modern Oaxacan arts.

A number of artefacts on display were found in ancient tombs, including this statuette of a traditional Xolo dog.

The museum also contains an exhibit about the rebozo, the cloth traditionally used across Mexico to carry babies. There’s also an exhibit dedicated to depictions of the Xoloitzcuintli, the hairless dog believed to guide the spirits of the dead through the underworld. The first floor also contains the impressive Francisco de Burgoa Library and a gift shop.

The building is so large, it seems to go on forever. Plan on a couple of hours to tour the museum, but note that viewing all the rooms in one day isn’t easy. Better to cover fewer rooms or take two days to see them all.

Be sure to look up and around as you wander through the rooms. There are faded murals on walls, carvings of saints and virgins on the ceilings and golden altarpieces and impressive doorways. There’s also a great view of the site’s botanical garden from the upper floors and another of the Church of Santo Domingo.

Figure in Oaxaca museum — A turquoise skull from the Tomb 7 archeological site. The turquoise was glued on with resin composed of copal and amaranth seeds. The skull is known to be a Mixtec ritual object, representing Mictlantecuhtli or the “Lord of the Underworld”. From the Post-Classical period 1250-1521.

The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is 90 pesos (US $5)

Joseph Sorrentino, a writer, photographer and author of the book San Gregorio Atlapulco: Cosmvisiones and of Stinky Island Tales: Some Stories from an Italian-American Childhood, is a regular contributor to Mexico News Daily. More examples of his photographs and links to other articles may be found at www.sorrentinophotography.com He currently lives in Chipilo, Puebla.

Extortion of lime farmers in Michoacán causes prices to spike

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MND Staff

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August 25, 2023

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Things have turned sour in one of Mexico’s top lime-producing regions, where many growers and packers have stopped working, rather than pay extortion money to cartels — causing the price of limes to spike.

In a survey carried out by the newspaper Milenio, the cost of a kilogram of limes in markets of Morelia, the state capital of Michoacán, has gone from 20 to 25 pesos (US $1.19 to $1.49) to 40 to 45 pesos ($2.38 to $2.68) over the past week or so.

Lime farmers say those who refuse to pay have been attacked by cartels. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

The rise coincides with what has grown to become a ten-day work stoppage in the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán, which includes a prime lime-producing region in and around the municipality of Apatzingán, and is a hotbed for cartel activity. The Tierra Caliente farms produce around 80% of Mexico’s limes.

Lime growers warned that prices could go up even more if the conflict in the region is not resolved.

Work was halted on Aug. 16 after a rise in extortion attempts by one or more organized crime groups seeking to flex their muscles in an area where cartels also siphon money off avocado producers.

According to some lime growers, cartel members are demanding one peso for each kilo of limes sold, a total of 1,000 pesos (US $59.51) per tonne. Others say they are demanding 2,000 pesos per tonne — 1,000 pesos from the grower and 1,000 pesos from the packer.

Untended lemons — Lime crops are now going untended, affecting output as a result. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

Earlier this week, Michoacán state prosecutor Adrián López Solís said authorities do not know which group is responsible, in part because growers, pickers and packers are scared to talk, and in part because the criminal groups themselves use “propaganda” and attempt to “blame each other.”

According to Milenio, the suspected groups are the Caballeros Templarios (Knights Templar), which works with the Nueva Familia Michoacána and is seeking to resurface in Michoacán, as well as Los Viagras, a group already known for the extortion of melon and lime producers.

One resident said Los Viagras was responsible for drone attacks on a town of 500 near Apatzingán where extortion was not paid. There have also been reports of burned vehicles.

“We are not going to work right now,” she said. “In my community, everyone is out of a job. We are talking about more than 700 hectares (1,730 acres), with about 30 to 40 ejidatarios [communal landowners].”

The famous lime market of Apatzingán is deserted as a result of the strike. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

Overall, the 70,000 hectares (173,000 acres) of lime farms in the Apatzingán area are drying up due to the lack of irrigation and cutting. The famed Tianguis Limonero (lime market) has become a ghost town. The strike comes at the production peak, said to be right around the corner in October and November.

“They have to reach agreements, because this affects producers and [all kinds of] people, [including] day laborers,” Apatzingán municipal president José Luis Cruz Lucatero said. “A solution has to be found in the very short term.”

Earlier this week, Governor of Michoacán Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla asked those in the industry to provide more information since otherwise they will be “covering up [for] their own extortionists.”

Michoacán officials have asked the state attorney general’s office to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the extortion.

Hipólito Mora led a vigilante pushback against organized crime in Michoacán starting in 2013, but said the security situation was “worse than ever” last year. (Archivo/Cuartoscuro)

One packer confirmed there is a National Guard base in the area, but the soldiers only ride around in their trucks “as tourists.”

The stand-off occurred in the same region where Hipólito Mora Chávez, the founder of a citizen self-defense force, was murdered in June. Mora was himself a former lime farmer who turned vigilante in 2013 and reportedly drove the Knights Templar cartel out of Michoacán. He was attacked by gunmen in Buenavista, a municipality near Apatzingán.

With reports from Milenio, El Universal, Mexicanal and Reforma

Canada to participate as third party in Mexico-US GM corn panel

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MND Staff

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August 25, 2023

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Mexican corn — Canadian officials say they share the U.S. concerns about Mexico's restrictions on genetically modified corn imports. (CRISANTA ESPINOSA AGUILAR /CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Canada announced Friday that it will participate as a third party in the dispute settlement proceedings initiated by the United States over Mexico’s stance on genetically modified corn.

The announcement comes just over a week after the United States requested the establishment of a dispute settlement panel under the USMCA free trade pact to rule on Mexico’s ban on the use of GM corn in tortillas and dough and plan to phase out imports of such maize for use in all products for human consumption and as animal feed.

On July 6, Mexico’s Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro (center) met with trade representatives Katherine Tai (U.S., right) and Mary Ng (Canada, left) for the third meeting of the USMCA trade commission. (Twitter)

Canada’s Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay said in a statement that Canada shares the concerns of the United States that Mexico is “not compliant with the science and risk analysis obligations” under the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Chapter of the USMCA, which took effect in 2020.

“Canada believes that the measures taken by Mexico are not scientifically supported and have the potential to unnecessarily disrupt trade in the North American market,” they said.

Canada participated as a third party in dispute settlement consultations between Mexico and the U.S. over the GM corn issue. Those consultations failed to resolve the differences between Mexico and the United States, leading the U.S. to request the dispute settlement panel.

Mexican Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro told the Reuters news agency on Monday that Mexico won’t make any changes to its GM corn decree before the establishment of the panel.

Raquel Buenrostro, Mexico’s Economy Minister. (Secretaría de Economía/X)

President López Obrador, who believes that GM corn is harmful to human health and poses a threat to native maize strains, asserted earlier this year that Mexico’s decision to phase out imports of GM corn doesn’t violate its commitments under the USMCA.

The Economy Ministry (SE) said last week that it is “prepared to defend the Mexican position before this international panel and prove that national regulations are consistent with the commitments subscribed to in the [trade] agreement and that the measures challenged [by the U.S.] have no commercial impact.”

Most of the corn consumed by Mexicans is grown in Mexico, but large quantities of yellow corn are imported from the United States to feed livestock. Those imports are worth about US $5 billion per year.

U.S. farmers who grow GM corn don’t want to lose access to the lucrative Mexican market and have pressured the U.S. government to act in favor of their interests.

Citing timeframes set out in the USMCA, the SE said it had calculated that the dispute settlement panel will reach a decision some time in 2024.

Mexico News Daily

Aeroméxico to add to Tulum-Mexico City route in December

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MND Staff

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August 24, 2023

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Aeromexico — Aeroméxico will connect Mexico City and Raleigh-Durham starting in July 2024. (Christian Coquet/Unsplash)

The Tulum International Airport isn’t scheduled to open until December, but airlines are already lining up to fly into the Caribbean coast town.

Just hours after Viva Aerobus announced that it will commence flights to Tulum from Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Tijuana in December, Aeroméxico issued a press release saying that it too will start services to the Quintana Roo town on the first day of that month.

Aeromexico CDMX T2 — Aeromexico will shortly begin selling tickets for the new route, which will commence flying in December this year. (José Pablo Domínguez/Unsplash)

“Aeroméxico will begin operations from Mexico City’s International Airport (AICM) to the new Tulum International Airport on December 1, offering more connectivity with the state of Quintana Roo, especially with the southern Riviera Maya,” the airline said.

That’s the date the new airport – which is currently under construction by the army – is scheduled to begin operations.

Aeroméxico said that it will begin the AICM-Tulum service with 14 weekly frequencies to be operated with Embraer 190 aircraft.

“This decision reinforces Aeromexico’s presence in the state of Quintana Roo, where the airline offers connectivity and the best service to and from Cancún, Chetumal, Cozumel and now Tulum, with a total offer of more than 221,000 seats per month, which represents an increase of 6% compared to the current operation,” the Mexican flag carrier said.

Tulum ruins - El Castillo — Tulum is one of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations, thanks to its beaches and imposing Mayan ruins. (soft_light/Shutterstock)

Aeroméxico said that itineraries and ticket sales will be available in the coming days.

José Zapata, Aeroméxico’s vice president of sales in Mexico, said that the airline is “very pleased to participate in the inauguration of this airport because, in addition to the fact that it will be a great airport facility, many of our customers have Tulum and the southern Riviera Maya as their final destination.”

The airline’s statement said that the new route “will be an additional alternative for domestic and international travelers from destinations such as Tijuana, Guadalajara, Aguascalientes, Toronto, San Francisco, and Chicago, among others.”

The Tulum airport, first announced by the government in 2020, is about 65% complete, President López Obrador said Thursday.

He said Wednesday that one of the “main flights” of the new state-owned, army-run airline, which is slated to begin flying in December under the Mexicana brand, will be between the Felipe Ángeles International Airport north of Mexico City and Tulum, which is currently served by the airport in Cancún, located 130 kilometers north.

Mexico News Daily

Mexican fans eagerly await arrival of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour

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MND Staff

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August 24, 2023

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The countdown is almost over. The much-awaited Latin American leg of superstar Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour begins tonight, as the Pennsylvania-born superstar prepares for a rapturous welcome in the Mexican capital.

With anticipation amongst Mexican fans building steadily since Swift, 33, announced the tour in June, hundreds of ‘Swifties’ – as Swift’s fans are known – began lining up on Wednesday afternoon, outside of Mexico City’s Foro Sol, where Swift will perform from Aug. 24-27.

A vendor preparing to sell “Taymales” in honor of the U.S. singer. (Por que es Tendencia/X)

“I have been waiting for this moment for 11 years,” Mexican Swiftie Alejandro Chávez, 26, told newspaper El País while lining up outside of the Foro Sol. He and two friends came to Mexico City from the northern state of Chihuahua.

“She’s my favorite artist, my Top 1,” 22-year-old Carlos García told El País. “Since this is her first time in Mexico, I think we all share the same excitement.”

Winner of 12 Grammy Awards, Swift has a varied fanbase that includes men and women, young people, adolescents and even older adults. When the the Eras Tour dates in Mexico were announced, tickets sold out in a matter of minutes and an extra date was eventually added.

The Foro Sol is expected to see crowds of 65,000 people on all four nights, and experts anticipate that the four-night show will net Mexico City over 1 billion pesos (US $59.1 million) in revenue.

The concert will be broken down into ‘eras’ reflecting different albums spanning her 17-year career, complete with 16 costume changes, spoken word passages and guest appearances.

To promote Swift’s music as she arrives in Mexico, music streaming service Spotify posted several billboards across the city with the slogan “Taylor, it was a ‘cruel summer’ waiting to hear you sing in Mexico City,” referencing the singer’s 2019 hit of the same name.

Swift is the only woman on the Forbes’ list of the top 10 highest-earning entertainers, having raked in an estimated US $92 million in 2022. Her Eras Tour is also on track to become one of the highest grossing of all time and is likely to surpass Sir Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, which currently holds the top spot.

With reports from El País, Infobae, and Forbes

Viva Aerobus will begin flights to new Tulum airport in December

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MND Staff

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August 24, 2023

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Rendering of Tulum airport — A rendering of the Felipe Carrillo Puerto airport in Tulum. (Gob MX)

Getting to Mexico’s coolest Caribbean coast destination from the nation’s largest cities is set to become a whole lot quicker.

Budget airline Viva Aerobus announced Thursday that it will commence flights to Tulum from Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Tijuana in December.

Tulum, Quintana Roo — Aerial view of Tulum in Quintana Roo state

Flights to Tulum’s as yet unfinished airport from the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) north of the capital are scheduled to commence on Dec. 1. Flights will be daily from AICM and three times per week from AIFA.

Services between Monterrey and Tulum will also commence Dec. 1, while flights to the Quintana Roo resort town from Guadalajara and Tijuana will begin on Dec. 16 and 17, respectively. Monterrey-Tulum flights will be daily, those from Guadalajara will depart three times per week and Tijuana-Tulum services will be weekly except in the December and summer high seasons when they will operate three days per week.

“Now you can fly direct to paradise from $239 MXN [US $14] + $284.55 MXN de TUA [Airport Use Tariff],” Viva Aerobus said on social media. Tickets are already on sale on the airline’s website.

The announcement of the routes comes after Viva Aerobus said in March that it would fly to the Tulum International Airport, which is under construction by the army at a site about 10 kilometers from the center of town.

A Viva Aerobus Airbus A321 neo — Viva Aerobus will become the first carrier to service all four of Quintana Roo’s major airports. (Viva Aerobus)

Most visitors to the destination, which is especially popular with young people, currently fly into Cancún, which is about 130 kilometers north. That journey takes close to two hours.

Viva Aerobus said in a statement that the five services announced today are “strategically designed to attend to the growing demand for flights to sun and beach destinations.”

“We’re excited to connect this new airport [to major Mexican cities],” said CEO Juan Carlos Zuazua.

He said that Viva Aerobus will offer passengers low-cost flights to Tulum on new planes with “the best customer service.”

Mara Lezama with AMLO — President López Obrador with Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama. (Mara Lezama/X)

The commencement of the flights in December depends, of course, on the Tulum airport being ready to receive them.

President López Obrador said Thursday that the airport is about 65% complete and pledged that the facility, and the government’s new state-owned, army-run airline, will begin operations in December.

He said Wednesday that one of the “main flights” of the new government airline, which will operate under the Mexicana brand, will be between AIFA and the Tulum airport, which will officially be called the Felipe Carillo Puerto International Airport.

December is set to be a big month for the government, with its Maya Train railroad – which will have a station in Tulum – also scheduled to begin operations.

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama welcomed the news of the upcoming Viva Aerobus flights to Tulum, saying that they will bring more visitors to the state and as a consequence “prosperity to the communities that most need it.”

“What we want [is] for tourism success to be reflected in the communities of the center and south [of Quintana Roo],” she said in a statement.

The Quintana Roo government noted that Viva Aerobus will be the first airline to operate from the four airports the state will have once that in Tulum opens. The others are located in Cancún, Chetumal and Cozumel.

“Quintana Roo is a tourism giant and air connectivity plays a major role in strengthening, even more, the accessibility of all our destinations, attracting new investment, generating jobs and creating shared prosperity in the entire state,” Lezama said.

With reports from Expansión, La Jornada and Forbes México

Karla Quintana resigns as head of the National Search Commission

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MND Staff

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August 24, 2023

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Karla Quintana at a press conference — Quintana was appointed as director of the national commission in 2019 and did not give specific reasons for her departure. (Karla Quintana/X)

The official who led the federal government’s efforts to locate Mexico’s many missing persons resigned on Wednesday 4 1/2 years after taking on the job.

Karla Quintana, who participated in on the ground searches for missing people while leading the National Search Commission (CNB), announced her decision on social media on Wednesday and posted the resignation letter she sent to President López Obrador.

Karla Quintana with a search collective — Quintana has joined search collectives on the ground around Mexico during her tenure. (Karla Quintana/X)

In her letter, Quintana wrote that she was resigning due to “current circumstances” but didn’t elaborate. She said that leading the CNB and “working for my country” had been “a challenge and a great honor.”

“During this period, the foundations of not just an institution but also a system and a public policy … [to aid] the search for missing persons and human identification have been built,” Quintana said.

Families of missing people, federal and state authorities, “committed public servants,” and the scientific and international community contributed to that work, she said.

“Challenges in relation to the disappearance of people remain. The efforts of the Mexican state must continue to be directed toward a comprehensive policy of prevention, search and the combating of impunity, with the aim of guaranteeing the rights to truth and justice of missing people, their families and all of society,” Quintana wrote.

Her resignation comes at a time when over 110,000 people are officially listed as missing in Mexico. It is unclear who will take over as CNB chief.

López Obrador acknowledged Quintana’s departure at his morning press conference on Thursday.

“I believe that she concluded a stage, and we’re free [to do as we wish]. She decided to resign and her resignation was accepted,” he said.

“… It might be because of the census,” López Obrador subsequently conceded, referring to a government effort to conduct a new count of the number of missing people.

PAN legislators in congress — PAN legislators display the number of disappeared during President López Obrador’s term. (CORTESÍA/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

So-called “servants of the nation” – government officials who have mainly aided the implementation of social programs – have been conducting the census and, according to the president, the results will be published in two or three months.

“Soon we’ll have a report. … In many parts [of the country] there is good news because young people are being found, people who had been considered missing in the original census,” López Obrador said.

“… We want to inform properly and revise censuses and that’s what we’re doing,” he said, adding that some people remained on the missing persons register after they were found.

During the term of the current government, more than 40,000 disappearances have been recorded, a figure higher than the numbers recorded during the administrations of both Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-18) and Felipe Calderón (2000-06).

The United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) said in a 2022 report that impunity in missing person cases in Mexico is “almost absolute.”

Members of that committee visited Mexico in 2021, and concluded that an inadequate security strategy, poor investigations into missing person cases and impunity were key factors in the persistence of abductions.

With reports from Reforma and El Financiero

Exploring the power of cacao for spiritual healing

By

Sandra Gancz Kahan

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August 24, 2023

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A cup of cacao — Cacao has long been revered as a powerful, sacred plant in Mexico, and shamanic cacao ceremonies can provide transformational experiences. (Unsplash)

As we explore the realm of natural wonders and human traditions, we find a beautiful ritual for those seeking a transformative soul experience:a cacao ceremony. This plant medicine, shared in a circle with others, has been said to open the heart, help heal emotional wounds, and tap into your intuition.

No, I’m not talking about the average chocolate bar – this is a whole other level of cocoa goodness. Cacao ceremonies are a shamanic journey designed to help participants develop a profound connection with their higher selves.

Aztec cacao tribute — Cacao was used as a form of tribute by the Mexica, as well as in religious ceremonies. (Brewminate)

Picture a ritualistic gathering, a symphony of intentions and energies converging in a circle, orchestrated by skillful guides. There, the participants drink a beverage prepared with ceremonial-grade cacao and water. Then, the group is led through spiritual practices, encompassing the vibration of chants, meditation and breathwork.

What truly lies behind this ceremony? Allow me to take you back 3,000 years to the heartland of Mesoamerica, where cacao seeds had a sacred status and were revered as a gift from the gods.

Archaeological evidence credits the Olmecs for the earliest domestication of cacao plants around 1500 B.C., when humans first fell in love with cacao’s uplifting and revitalizing powers, consumed as a drink. In fact, the word “chocolate” comes from the Classical Nahuatl word xocolātl, meaning bitter (xoco) water (atl).

The Maya also regarded the bean as sacred, calling it “Ka’kau,” or food of the gods. Thought to have been used in the creation of humans, Maya depictions of cacao show gods sprouting from the bean pods. They gathered once a year to give thanks to Ek Chuah, the god of cacao, and honored the plant as a giver of strength, energy and courage, as well as a bridge to communicating with the divine.

It was the Maya who developed the meticulous process of fermenting, drying, roasting, unshelling and grinding the nibs to create cacao paste, the process through which modern-day chocolate is made. Once the Mexica (or Aztecs) adopted cacao, it became a form of currency. Highly valuable, cacao drinks were mainly reserved for the male nobility and religious ceremonies, in which the liquid was poured from one vessel to another to create a frothy drink.

In modern times, ceremonial cacao is considered to be different from other cacao. Heirloom strains of cocoa beans are organically and ethically grown in Central and South America to preserve the essence and phytochemicals for spiritual practice. Upon harvesting, the beans are processed and diluted in water to create a drink which can be flavored with natural sweeteners and spices, but never with refined sugar.

Cacao’s effects on the body and mind have been the subject of scientific research. Friendly with the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals such as serotonin, the theobromine phytochemical found in cacao is a stimulant related to caffeine. Other chemical compounds in cacao have a molecular structure that mimics the effects of cannabinoids.

Theobromine may have nootropic effects, stimulating brain activity and for those who take it ritually, a gentle ascent to realms of elevated consciousness.

Cacao pods. (Larry Garcia Pezo/Unsplash)

But this journey transcends mere chemical reactions. Within the sacred circle, the ancient wisdom of cacao beckons us to rediscover compassion and beauty within ourselves.

For those who seek the ultimate depth, a full ceremonial dose of cacao, reserved for shamanic rituals, ranges between 40g-50g. This experience can be likened to a state between the mundane and the mystical. When combined with intention and support, it will take you on a soulful voyage.

The magic of cacao can also serve as a gentle aid for integrating a psychedelic experience. Some psychonauts who journey with psilocybin say they find solace in cacao, as it eases anxiety during challenging episodes.

The rituals of a cacao ceremony support a spiritual journey for participants. (Alluvia Chocolatier)

While not as intense as psychedelics, the compounds in cacao, combined with ritual and intention, can lead to personal growth and healing. As we gather for a cacao ceremony, we create an embracing space of peer support with fellow voyagers.

The elixir warms the soul, and in its depths, we can find ourselves present, stripped of distractions, bearing our innermost truths. Intentions are set from the start, to which the spirit of cacao answers with whispers of guidance that resonate through the chambers of the heart.

Sandra is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: [email protected]

New Vishay semiconductor manufacturing plant opens in Durango

By

Cat Rainsford

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August 24, 2023

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Vishay La Laguna plant — The new facility will manufacture semiconductors for the automotive industry. State governor Esteban Villegas Villarreal says the plant will create 500 well-paying jobs. (Vishay/X)

U.S. electronic component manufacturer Vishay Intertechnology has opened a new semiconductor plant in Gómez Palacio, Durango, with an investment of US $45 million.

The 18,000 square-meter site, located in the northern La Laguna region, is projected to create 500 skilled jobs and manufacture billions of semiconductor chips each year, mostly for use in the automotive industry.

Vishay opening — The new factory was inaugurated by state officials and executives from Vishay. (Vishay/X)

“We are happy with this type of investment,” said Durango Governor Esteban Villegas Villarreal, who attended the opening. “After this inauguration, other companies will arrive, since everyone is looking for semiconductors. This will give this region an advantage, which will continue to spark economic growth and skilled jobs for La Laguna.”

Villegas stressed that the factory, one the first semiconductor plants in northern Mexico, is part of a wave of investment that is “changing the face” of industry in the region.

“The maquiladoras [assembly plants] have their merits and are necessary, but now we are bringing in companies that pay well and offer specialized jobs,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.

He reported that his government has already made similar agreements with three other companies, for projects in Lerdo, Mapimí and Tlahualilo.

Esteban Villegas — Governor Villegas also said his recent tour of China – in which he courted a number of semiconductor manufacturers – was a great success. (Diego Villegas/X)

Semiconductor manufacturing has become a vital industry for the 21st century, with a global market worth around US $580 billion. Semiconductors or microchips are used in consumer electronics and the automobile industry. Many companies are now looking to nearshore production of these components closer to markets in the United States, after supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a global shortage.

In September 2022, the U.S. urged Mexico to take advantage of massive U.S. investment in the industry by boosting semiconductor production in the country.

Since then, state governments across Mexico have stepped up talks with international semiconductor manufacturers. Three new plants were announced for Jalisco and Baja California in April, and a group of 20 Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturers visited Mexico in June.

Semiconductors were also a key discussion topic during Villegas’ trip to China this month. A delegation of Chinese technology companies is planning to visit Durango between September and December.“The tour we have just made in China will bring great results for the entire state,” Villegas promised at the Vishay inauguration. “We were charged with changing the face of La Laguna, and we are going to achieve it.”

With reporting from Mexico Industry and Excelsior