Chapter 3

Authors: Louis Grivetti and Beatriz Cabezon

Title: Ancient Gods and Christian Celebrations. Chocolate and Religion.

The religious importance of chocolate easily is documented by Pre-Columbian artifacts, religious objects, and texts. Further, religious traditions associated with chocolate practiced in contemporary Central America in the 20th and 21st centuries have their origins in antiquity and represent a blend of ancient religious beliefs and Christian rituals, especially the well-known Mexican rituals associated with Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The primary chocolate-related themes that formed part of ancient Maya, Mixtec, and Nahuatl, and other indigenous peoples of the Americas are presented and reviewed, specifically, texts from the Popul Yuh, the Sacred Book of the Quiche Maya, where it is reported how cacao came to humans. The Mayan god of cacao, Ek Chuah, was honored in April with animal sacrifices and offerings of feathers, incense, and cacao. Contemporary Quiche/K’iche Mayans relate that their ancestors received cacao from Jesus Christ and to this day call the cacao tree, the "tree of sin and knowledge." Toltec cosmology contained in the Tonalamatl, the Book of Prophecies from the priests of the Goddess Xochiquetzatl, relates that the god Quetzalcoatl first brought the first cacao tree to earth and delivered it to the good citizens of Tollan. Another variant exists in Nahuatl texts that relate Quetzalcoatl brought cacao beans to earth to honor a faithful Mexica princess who had been slain. Cacao remains a prominent component of Bribri cosmology in the geographical region of what is now Costa Rica, where the god Sibo was responsible for bringing cacao to humans. Cacao continues to play important roles in contemporary Mayan religious rituals associated with baptisms, marriages, and funerals. Convent and Monastery documents examined during the course of this research revealed consistent uses of chocolate in Catholic celebrations, especially during Lent, Passion Week, and Palm Sunday.

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