Cacao: My Grandmother's Living Heritage

I grew up Mixtec without knowing what that meant. My parents silenced our roots to protect me from discrimination. It was my grandmother who gave it back to me. In her kitchen, with the stone metate she inherited from her mother, she ground cacao the way the women of our family had done for generations. Cacao, which the Maya called Atlaquetzalli, the precious water, is not a beverage. It is spiritual technology. For generations it was the thread connecting the most sacred moments of life. When we share cacao in our ceremonies, we are not innovating or creating a wellness trend. We are remembering. Tlazocamati, grandmother. Thank you for teaching me with your hands.