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79-572: The name Xochistlahuaca comes from the Nahuatl xochitl (flower) and ixtlahuatlan (plain); "plain of the flowers". The center of population and of the Amuzgos in Guerrero is the town of Xochistlahuaca with a population of 4,152. It is located in rugged territory at an elevation of 390 meters above sea level. The town is home to a communal Amuzgo radio station called Radio Ñomndaa (Word of water, referring to

158-446: A corn masa base and are wrapped in banana leaves. They contain fillings like chicken, vegetables, and/or beans. Corn tamales, or tamales de elote , are also popular. Bean tamales, or tamales pisques , are also consumed, typically during Holy Week . In the classical times of the Maya of Central America (Guatemala in particular), the great Mayan lords delighted in a baked dough bun during

237-460: A dough made from ground nixtamalized corn ( hominy ), called masa , or alternatively a rehydrated masa powder, such as Maseca . It is combined with lard or vegetable shortening, along with broth or water, to bring the dough to the consistency of a very thick batter. It is traditional to whisk the lard, and whisk the resulting batter, with the intent of producing the signature soft and fluffy texture. Modern recipes may use baking powder to achieve

316-470: A favorite comfort food in Mexico, eaten as both breakfast and dinner, and often accompanied by hot atole or champurrado and arroz con leche (rice porridge, "rice with milk") or maize-based beverages of indigenous origin. Street vendors can be seen serving them from huge, steaming, covered pots ( tamaleras ) or ollas . Instead of corn husks, banana or plantain leaves are used in tropical parts of

395-424: A grill. Guanimes are prepared in a plain version, without the stuffing, and served with stewed salted cod fish. Since the arrival of Europeans, guanimes have lost their stuffing. Contemporary guanimes are made with corn masa seasoned with coconut milk, lard, broth, and annatto, wrapped in a banana leaf or corn husk. The several versions of guanimes can be made with green plantains, cassava , and

474-742: A group of Amuzgos took over the municipal palace to protest. This action spurred the creation of the Frente Cívico Indígena de Xochistlahuaca and the Frente Comunitario de Xochistlahuca, which have had influence in both political and social issues. Sentiments among the Amuzgos have run particularly against the PRI political party, which dominated municipal politics for decades and mostly in favor now towards National Action Party (PAN) . Since 2006, both traditional and municipal authorities have recognition but

553-575: A hard 'shell' around the tamales when dried, this allowed tamales to keep for up to 20 days. Tamales appear often in ceramic ware from the Mayan Classic era (200–1000 CE). The Fenton vase shows a plate of unwrapped tamales being offered as a penance to a powerful Mayan nobleman. While the exact origin of tamales has yet to be determined, the oldest people confirmed to have eaten them were the Toltecs, as archaeologists have found fossilized corn husks around

632-463: A kind of hearty cornmeal porridge. In the Dominican Republic , guanimo are Dominican tamales stuffed with picadillo . The name guanimo has its origin in the native Taínos . Guanime is a Puerto Rican dish that can be traced back to pre-Columbian times. It consists of corn masa that is stuffed with beans, seafood, nuts, or meat, and then wrapped in corn husks slowly cooked on

711-426: A municipality, which was then ratified in 1872. However, the seat was moved to Abasolo in 1873. In 1932, the town became a seat of a municipality again, this time separating from Ometepec. This was recertified in 1934. From the colonial period through the 19th century, the Amuzgos lost control of their lands, paying rent to Spanish lords such as Guillermo Hacho. In 1920, the Amuzgos began to fight to regain control with

790-566: A religious center. During the Mexican War of Independence , Vicente Guerrero and his troops passed through the area in 1812, stopping at the Cerro Verde to reorganize and supply. In 1821, it became part of the Capitanía General del Sur, but then went back to Puebla in 1823 as part of the municipality of Ometepec. When the state of Guerrero was created in 1849, the town was made the seat of

869-408: A similar effect. Chili purees or dried chili powders are also occasionally added to the batter, which in addition to the spice can cause some tamales to appear red in color. Tamales are generally wrapped in corn husks or plantain leaves before being steamed, with the choice of husk depending on the region. They usually have a sweet or savory filling and are usually steamed until firm. Tamale-making

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948-541: A string, and made into pillow-shaped bundles – nacatamales . They are then steamed or pressure-cooked for several hours. The entire process is very labor-intensive, and it often requires preparation over the course of two days; involving the whole family may be needed to complete it. In the pre-Columbian era, the Mayas ate tamales and often served them at feasts and festivals. The Classic Maya hieroglyph for tamales has been identified on pots and other objects dating back to

1027-447: A sweet corn masa wrapped in a corn husk or leaf. There are also varieties made without masa, like tamalis , which are made with small fish fry wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, similar to the tamales de charal from Mexico, where the small fish are cooked whole with herbs and seasonings wrapped inside a corn husk without masa. The number of varieties has dwindled through the years so certain types of tamales that were once popular in

1106-503: A sweet corn tamale that gets its name from the Garifuna people. Dukunus are mostly vegetarian and consist of roasted corn kernels blended with coconut milk as a base. Butter, salt, and sugar are also added. Dukunus filled with different meats are also made. Tamales are a traditional dish in El Salvador . Tamales are typically eaten during holidays, like Christmas . Salvadoran tamales have

1185-438: A sweet version made with sweet plantains and cornmeal. The guanime is also related to the pastel , a root tamale dating to around the same time as the native Taíno guanimes . In Trinidad and Tobago , the dish is called a pastelle and is popular in many households during the entire Christmas season and New Year celebrations. It is usually made with cornmeal and filled with cooked, seasoned meat (chicken and beef being

1264-479: A traditional backstrap loom . Historically, weaving was to make clothing from the family, but it has become an important source of income for many Amuzgo families. A number of Xochistlahuaca weavers have won awards for their work such as the Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes in 2004 and the weavers receive support from federal and other sources. Cooperation with government and university institutions has allowed

1343-550: A variety of corn for their flour base and were cooked in earth ovens, or olla , which were heated by the steam of dried cane grown and harvested for the express purpose of cooking tamales. Fillings would consist of meat (turkey, fish, frog, axolotl , gopher), fruit, bean, squash seed, turkey egg and even no filling. They would be seasoned with chilis or seeds if they were savory and honey if they were sweet. Tamales also held great religious and spiritual importance within Aztec culture. It

1422-401: Is a common occurrence. Nacatamales are much larger in size in comparison to their counterparts, and made up of mostly nixtamalized corn masa (a kind of dough traditionally made from a process called nizquezar ) and lard ). The masa and liquified concoction of onion, garlic, tomato, salt, achiote ( annatto ), naranja agria and bell pepper is cooked and the result becomes

1501-407: Is a ritual that has been part of Mexican life since pre-Hispanic times, when special fillings and forms were designated for each specific festival or life event. Today, tamales are typically filled with meats, cheese, or vegetables, especially chilies. Preparation is complex and time-consuming, and an excellent example of Mexican communal cooking, where this task usually falls to the women. Tamales are

1580-416: Is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa , a dough made from nixtamalized corn , which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaves . The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses , fruits, vegetables, herbs, chilies , or any preparation according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned. Tamale

1659-682: Is a traditional dish with indigenous origins. The name comes from the Nawat language spoken by the Nicarao , who were situated on the Southern Pacific coast of Nicaragua, and translates to "meat tamale". The nacatamal is perhaps the most produced within traditional Nicaraguan cuisine and it is an event often reserved for Sundays at mid-morning. It is usually eaten together with fresh bread and coffee. Enjoying nacatamales during special occasions and to invite extended family and neighbors to also partake

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1738-609: Is an anglicized version of the Spanish word tamal (plural: tamales ). Tamal comes from the Nahuatl tamalli . The English "tamale" is a back-formation from tamales , with English speakers applying English pluralization rules, and thus interpreting the -e- as part of the stem , rather than part of the plural suffix -es . Tamales originated in Mesoamerica as early as 8000 to 5000 BC. The preparation of tamales

1817-495: Is based on subsistence agriculture, livestock, handcrafts especially textiles and ceramics and some commerce. Newer products include the making of cheese and piloncillo . Most of the products which are sold outside of the municipality go to the mestizo markets in Ometepec. These include cash crops such as oranges, mamey , sugar cane, jicama and piloncillo, along with handcrafted items such as textiles and fireworks. Economic activity

1896-589: Is generally assigned by gender with men doing the farming and livestock raising and women doing domestic chores and weaving. The main economic activity in Xochistlahuaca is agriculture. Agriculture is mostly of the slash-and-burn variety with most land held communally. The most important crops are corn, beans, sesame seed and hibiscus followed by squash, chili peppers, tomatoes, cotton and cacao . Important cash crops include mangos , sapotes , tamarind , hibiscus , amaranth , spearmint, tomatoes and potatoes. Most

1975-414: Is generally consumed as a beverage, especially during special events such as weddings. Tamales are a fundamental part of the diet and come in a variety of forms and fillings such as sweet corn, pork, chicken, freshwater shrimp and more. One local dish is called the cabeza de viejo or old man's head and there is a type of sweetened tortilla called a ticaso . There is evidence that Xochislahuaca

2054-498: Is grown on the south side of the municipality. There has been a growing industry of cattle raising and dairy products, such as cheese for sale to surrounding municipalities, especially Ometepec. The forest as a number of tropical hardwood species which are used to make furniture with an annual harvest of about 2500m2 per year. About 45% of the population is dedicated to industry, mostly women who weave. Weaving and other handcrafts play an important economic role as in many cases, farming

2133-521: Is in petition for abundant rain and crops for the coming growing season. The end of the growing season and harvest are marked by the feast day of the Archangel Michael on September 29. Traditional medicine men and healing are still preferred by many as illness is generally conceived of as spiritual. Other important festivals include Carnival and the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12. In

2212-555: Is known as huminta and in Brazil as pamonha , made of fresh, not nixtamalized , corn paste. Hallaca is a traditional meal from Venezuela that resembles the aspect of a tamal. It consists of corn dough stuffed with a stew of beef, pork, or chicken and other ingredients such as raisins, capers, and olives, fresh onion rings, red and green bell pepper slices. There are also vegetarian options with black beans or tofu. Hallacas are folded in plantain leaves, tied with strings, and boiled. The dish

2291-817: Is likely to have spread from the indigenous cultures in Guatemala and Mexico to the rest of Latin America. According to archaeologists Karl Taube , William Saturno , and David Stuart , tamales may date from around 100 AD. They found pictorial references in the Mural of San Bartolo , in Petén, Guatemala. The Aztec and Maya civilizations, as well as the Olmec and Toltec before them, used tamales as easily portable food for hunting trips, traveling large distances, and nourishing their armies. Tamales were also considered sacred, as they were seen as

2370-739: Is located southeast of the Guerrero capital of Chilpancingo . It is part of the Costa Chica region of the state which extends from Acapulco to the Oaxaca border. The municipality straddles the Sierra Madre del Sur and the flatter areas that reach down towards the Pacific Ocean. About 65% of the terrain of the municipality is mountainous and rugged, mostly in the north with small mountain ranges known as Pajaritos and Malinaltepec, which reach about 2,000 meters above sea level. The two most important elevations are

2449-732: Is not enough to meet subsistence needs. Most of the commerce is in the municipal seat and includes shops selling sewing supplies, groceries, farming supplies and food stands. There is some tourism by people who come to see the textiles. Amuzgo people Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 819471444 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Fri, 29 Nov 2024 08:30:28 GMT Tamale A tamale , in Spanish tamal ,

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2528-560: Is popularly known as bobotu , and Batangas provinces, the tamales are wrapped in banana leaves, but sweet corn varieties from the Visayas region are wrapped in corn husks similar to the sweet corn tamales of the American Southwest and Mexico. Because of the work involved in the preparation of tamales, they usually only appear during the special holidays or other big celebrations. Various tamal recipes have practically disappeared under

2607-409: Is sewn into huipils , a traditional women's garment and other traditional items such as tablecloths, napkins and rebozos . All pieces are original with no two exactly alike. Amuzgo women begin learning the weaving process when they are children with simple tasks such as cleaning and carding cotton. As they grow, they learn more difficult techniques and designs from the mothers and grandmothers using

2686-468: Is the coolest. The average annual temperature is 25C. Average annual rainfall is between 1000 and 2000 mm per year with a defined rainy (May to October) and dry (November to April) season which are agriculturally and culturally important. The municipality, including its seat, has a very high level of socioeconomic marginalization. It is the fourth poorest in the state of Guerrero and the sixteenth poorest in Mexico. In 2010, there were 6,019 residences in

2765-589: Is traditionally served during the Christmas season and has several regional variants in Venezuela. It has been described as a national dish of Venezuela but it can be found also in variants. A characteristic of the hallaca is the delicate corn dough made with consommé or broth and lard colored with annatto. Tamales were one of the dishes that the Peruvian chef Juan José Cabezudo was famous for serving from his food stand near

2844-524: Is young with just over fifty percent under the age of twenty. In 2005, 91.7% of the population was indigenous with almost 86% of these being Amuzgo. The rest are almost all Mixtec . Xochistlahuaca is the largest of the Amuzgo communities which are located in this mountain area on both sides of the Guerrero/Oaxaca border although eighty percent are in Guerrero. Most of the Amuzgos in the municipality still speak

2923-511: The Amuzgo language ). It has become notable for its advocacy on Amuzgo issues locally and nationally. The Museo Comunitario Amuzgo has two halls. One contains pre-Hispanic pieces, other historical items such as those from the Mexican Revolution and other antiques. The other is dedicated to the Amuzgo handcrafts, especially textiles, and photographs related to the Amuzgo people. The population

3002-600: The Classic Era (200–1000 CE), although they likely were eaten much earlier. While tortillas are the basis for the contemporary Maya diet, remarkably little evidence exists for tortilla production among the Classic period Maya. A lack of griddles in the archaeological record suggests that the primary foodstuff of the Mesoamerican diet may have been the tamal , a cooked, vegetal-wrapped mass of maize dough. Tamales are cooked without

3081-457: The Mass of Gallo , at midnight. In Guatemala, eating tamales at midnight on December 24 and 31 is customary. Guatemalans also eat tamales for holiday celebrations, birthdays, and baptisms, so the tamale is considered an important dish in the culture of Guatemala. Guatemala has many tamale varieties, from the traditional corn-husked tamale called a chuchito , to a sweet version of tamale, which uses

3160-602: The Plaza Mayor in Lima. In the Philippines and Guam, which were governed by Spain as a province of Mexico, different forms of tamale-like foods exist. In the Philippines, they merged with the native leaf-wrapped rice cakes ( kakanin ) and are made with a dough derived from ground rice and are filled with seasoned chicken or pork with the addition of peanuts and other seasonings such as sugar. In some places, such as Pampanga, where it

3239-632: The Pyramids of the Sun and Moon in Teotihuacan . (c. 250 BC – 750 CE) In Cuba , before the 1959 Revolution, street vendors sold Mexican-style tamales wrapped in corn husks, usually made without any kind of spicy seasoning. Cuban tamales being identical in form to those made in Mexico City suggests they were brought over to Cuba during the period of intense cultural and musical exchange between Cuba and Mexico after

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3318-431: The winter solstice , made of maize mixed with turkey, tepezcuintle ( lowland paca ) or venison, spices, and chili pepper, among other ingredients. This meal was later integrated into modern Guatemalan traditions. For example, on Christmas Eve, families prepare black, red, or sweet tamales for family and friends to show gratitude. The tamales are often accompanied with chocolate, yolk bread, and punch, and participate in

3397-454: The 1920s. A well-known Cuban song from the 1950s, " Los Tamalitos de Olga ", (a cha-cha-cha sung by Orquesta Aragón ) celebrated the delicious tamales sold by a street vendor in Cienfuegos . A peculiarly Cuban invention is the dish known as tamal en cazuela , basically consisting of tamale masa with the meat stuffing stirred into the masa, and then cooked in a pot on the stove to form

3476-524: The Aztecs was the feast of Atamalcualiztli (eating of water tamales). This ritual, held every eight years for a whole week, was done by eating tamales without any seasoning, spices, or filling, which allowed the maize freedom from being overworked in the usual tamale cooking methods. In the present day, it is common in certain Maya areas to steam tamales in a spherical vessel known as a tamalero, as opposed to boiling them , this practice has been linked back to

3555-861: The Cerro Verde and the Cerro de Agua. About 25% is flat and semi-flat with the rest being small valleys and riverbanks. The main river is the Santa Catarina which separates the municipality from the state of Oaxaca. Other important rivers include the Puente and the San Pedro or Xochistlahuaca River. These rivers with year-round flow provide potable water for most of the area's population in towns such as Tres Arroyos, La Montaña, El Pájaro, El Chacale, La Guacamaya, El Lagarto and Arroyo Caballo. Other rivers include Atotonilco Verde, Mujer, Totole, Fierro, Pájaro and Lagarto. There are also many streams which flow year round as well. Most of

3634-471: The Classic Maya period due to the presence of boiler scale in Classic Maya pottery. The other common method of cooking tamales was on a comal which is a large flat stone, this method is also used to cook tortillas. In addition to the leaves of plantain and banana which are commonly used today, Mayan tamales were commonly wrapped in the leaves of avocado or piper plants, which would be gathered by men during

3713-578: The Philippines have become lost or are simply memories. The variety found in Guam, known as tamales guiso , is made with corn masa and wrapped in corn husks, and as with the Philippine tamales, are clear evidence of the influence of the galleon trade that occurred between the ports of Manila and Acapulco. While Mexican-style and other Latin American-style tamales are featured at ethnic restaurants throughout

3792-527: The United States, some distinctly indigenous styles also are made. The Choctaw and Chickasaw make a dish called banaha , which can be stuffed or not (plain). Usually, the filling (ranging from none, fried bacon, turkey, deer, nuts, and vegetables such as onions, potatoes, squash, and sweet potatoes) can either be filled or mixed with the masa and steamed in a corn husk. Cherokee tamales, also known as bean bread or "broadswords", were made with hominy (in

3871-414: The Xochistlahuaca ejido established in 1933 on 6,384 hectares. This ejido was recognized as the Xochistlahuaca municipality in 1934. In 1967, the ejido/municipality received 1,419 hectares more territory for a total of 7,803 hectares today. In 1997, Hurricane Pauline , one of the worst cyclones to hit Mexico's Pacific coast, caused heavy rain leaving the municipally stranded by the loss of roads. Since

3950-408: The Xochistlahuaca's role as an administrative center. Much of the Amuzgo concentration in this region is due to the displacement of these people from the coast, first by Mixtec expansion, then by Spanish domination. Lastly, escaped slaves and their descendants came to dominate former Amuzgo lands, especially in what is now Cuajinicuilapa . The community of Cozoyoapan was founded by displaced Amuzgos in

4029-451: The area's fruit growing takes place. Many of the trees lose their at least some of their leaves during the dry season. Much of the area's habitat has been degraded but there is still some wildlife such as raccoons , badgers , foxes, wild boar, deer, wildcats, and a number of reptile and bird species. The climate is semi moist with temperature ranges between hot, semi hot and temperate depending on altitude. The border with Tlacoachistlahuaca

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4108-560: The base for the nacatamal and it is also referred to as masa . This base is ladled onto plantain leaves used for wrapping into large individual portions. The filling usually consists of annatto-seasoned pork meat, rice, slices of potatoes , bell peppers, tomatoes , and onions ; olives , spearmint sprigs, and chile congo , a very small, egg-shaped chile found in Nicaragua. On occasion, prunes, raisins, or capers can be added. The masa and filling are then wrapped in plantain leaves, tied with

4187-553: The beginning of the 20th century, the name " tamale pie " was given to meat pies and casseroles made with a cornmeal crust and typical tamale fillings arranged in layers. Although characterized as Mexican food, these forms are not popular in Mexican American culture in which the individually wrapped style is preferred. The Indio International Tamale Festival held every December in Indio, California , has earned two Guinness World Records:

4266-634: The case of the Cherokee, the masa was made from corn boiled in water treated with wood ashes instead of lime) and beans, and wrapped in green corn leaves or large tree leaves and boiled, similar to the meatless pre-Columbian bean and masa tamales still prepared in Chiapas, central Mexico, and Guatemala. In northern Louisiana, tamales have been made for several centuries. The Spanish established presidio Los Adaes in 1721 in modern-day Robeline, Louisiana . The descendants of these Spanish settlers from central Mexico were

4345-456: The colonial period from what is now San Nicolás in Cuajinicuilapa. The area was conquered by Pedro de Alvarado in 1522. After the Spanish conquest , many indigenous in Guerrero died of disease and war, leaving the Amuzgos as one of only four ethnic groups to survive. In 1522, Xochistlahuaca had a population of about 20,000 but in 1582, this was down to 200 Amuzgos before recovering later in

4424-533: The colonial period. The Amuzgos were integrated into colonial rule via evangelization. In 1563, the town was named an administrative and religious center, similar to its role in the pre Hispanic era. During the 16th century, it was subject to Oaxaca city (then called Antequera) then it became part of the Puebla province. In the 17th century, it became part of the Chilapa diocese under Puebla and in 1884, it lost its status as

4503-493: The community of Cozoyoapan, the feast day of Saint Sebastian on January 20 is important. Most women and even men wear traditional clothing, made with either commercial or hand woven fabric. Industrial weaving has made hand weaving obsolete except for specialty garments or for those made for sale. the Amugo women of Xochistlahuaca are known for their hand woven fabric using the most traditional techniques and designs. Most of this fabric

4582-678: The country, such as Oaxaca , Chiapas , Veracruz , and the Yucatán Peninsula . These tamales are rather square in shape, often very large—15 inches (40 cm)—and these larger tamales are commonly known as pibs in the Yucatán Peninsula. Another very large type of tamale is zacahuil , made in the Huasteca region of Mexico. Depending on the size, zacahuil can feed between 50 and 200 people; they are made during festivals and holidays, for quinceañeras , and on Sundays to be sold at

4661-613: The first tamale makers to arrive in the eastern US. Zwolle, Louisiana , has a Tamale Fiesta every year in October. In the Mississippi Delta , African Americans developed a spicy tamale called the hot tamale that is made from cornmeal instead of masa and is boiled in corn husks. Tamales have been eaten in the broader United States since at least 1893, when they were featured at the World's Columbian Exposition . In 1894, when tamales were

4740-408: The food of the gods. The Aztec, Maya, Olmecs, and Toltecs as peoples considered corn as a central part of their cultural identity, so tamales played a large part in their rituals and festivals. The different forms of Tamales eaten and sold in Aztec markets are well documented in the extensive Florentine Codex written by Reverend Bernardino de Sahagún . In book X he describes how Aztec tamales used

4819-474: The language, which is of the Oto-Manguean family . Some are monolingual, not speaking Spanish. The origin of the Amuzgo people is not known but as their language is related to Mixtec , it is possible they migrated along with these people from the north and separated out to this region to escape inter-ethnic violence. The Amuzgo name for Xochistlahuaca is Suljaá . There are some mestizos , which live primarily in

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4898-541: The latter 20th century, the political situation in Xochistlahuaca has been unstable. It is complicated by the fact that there are two authorities, traditional indigenous councils, mostly Amuzgo and the constitutional municipal government, dominated by mestizos. The Amuzgo council usually consists of elders selected for their participation in the community, especially the sponsorship of religious festivals as well as family ties. The municipal authorities are dominated by mestizos because of their command of Spanish and greater ties to

4977-498: The markets. Humitas (from Quechua humint'a) is a Native South American dish from pre-Hispanic times, a traditional food from the Andes and it can be found in Colombia , Bolivia , Chile , Ecuador , Peru , and Northwest Argentina . It consists of fresh choclo (Peruvian corn) pounded to a paste, wrapped in a fresh corn husk, and slowly steamed or boiled in a pot of water. In Bolivia it

5056-546: The most popular ethnic food in Los Angeles, XLNT Foods started making them. The company is the oldest continuously operating Mexican food brand in the United States, and one of the oldest companies in Southern California. A tradition of roving tamale sellers was documented in early 20th-century blues music . They are the subject of the well-known 1937 blues/ragtime song " They're Red Hot " by Robert Johnson . Around

5135-447: The most popular), raisins, olives, capers, and other seasonings. The entire pastelle is wrapped in a banana leaf, bound with twine and steamed. When fully cooked, the banana leaf is removed to reveal the brightly yellow-colored dish. It is often enjoyed as is or along with a meal. The sweet version is called paymee . The tamale is a staple in Belize , where it is also known as dukunu ,

5214-473: The municipality is low but it is growing. Most are men who go to Acapulco, Chilpancingo, other states in Mexico and some to the United States. This migration is both seasonal and permanent. Women who migrate usually stay in Mexico and work as domestics. There is an illiteracy rate of almost 30%. About 54% do not complete basic education. One improvement is that access to health services rose from less than fifteen percent in 2005 to over 73% in 2010. The economy

5293-462: The municipality. Most of these are constructed with adobe and thatch instead of more modern cinderblock and brick, especially outside the municipal seat. Most are one or two rooms, and some are simple structures meant to be occupied during the growing season. Most homes in the municipality lack one or more services such as running water, electricity and drainage. Almost 30% with dirt floors. Almost 33% earn less than minimum daily wage. Migration out of

5372-410: The overall Mexican culture. This has caused tension between the two groups which has been complicated by converts to Protestantism who reject the traditional councils and independent political movements, especially since the 1980s. In the early 2000s, the political situation was particularly volatile with the municipal president Aceadeth Rocha refusing to recognize certain traditional authorities. In 2001,

5451-505: The population is classified as Catholic although there is a small but growing percentage of Protestants. Protestantism was introduced to the region by the Instituto Lingüistico de Verano in the 1940s. Catholic beliefs are generally a syncretism with Amuzgo ones. On the feast day of Saint Mark , which comes at the beginning of the rainy season, chickens are sacrificed over a set of blue rocks which represent thunder and lightning. This

5530-571: The pressures of modern life and the ease of fast food. Several varieties of tamales are also found in the Philippines. Tamales, tamalis , tamalos , and pasteles are different varieties found throughout the region. Some are sweet, some are savory, and some are sweet and savory. Mostly wrapped in banana leaves and made of rice, either the whole grain or ground and cooked with coconut milk and other seasonings, they are sometimes filled with meat and seafood, or are plain and have no filling. There are certain varieties, such as tamalos , that are made of

5609-508: The rainy season. While meat and fish were the customary fillings of tamales of this era, squash seeds and flowers, and greens such as chaya , or chipilin were also common. Fray Diego de Landa Calderón also spoke of 'special breads' [tamales] which were used specifically as offerings, with fillings such as deer heart, or quail. Because of the convenience offered by tamales, specific tamales were made for hunters and travelers. These tamales were cooked with extra wood ashes in order to create

5688-499: The same corn dough, but is seasoned with honey or sugar combined with chocolate, almonds, plums, seeds, and peppers. Tamales are sold in stores and private homes (especially on Saturdays). A red light on a home at night is a sign that tamales are for sale at that home. The most popular version of the Tamal in Nicaragua is the nacatamal and sometimes serves as an entire meal in itself. It

5767-550: The seat. Most of the municipality's cultural heritage is based on that of the Amuzgos, as the largest community of this ethnicity. Children from the municipality have been gathering indigenous oral stories for recording as part of the Concurso National de Narraciones Orales en Lenguas Indígenas (National Contest for Oral Narrations in Indigenous Languages). Juana Iriabth Moctezuma Tapia won the contest in 2004. Most of

5846-436: The situation remains uneasy. On March 20, 2012, a 7.4 earthquake was centered very near the municipality affecting it and most of the rest of the Costa Chica region. It was the strongest in Mexico since the 1985 earthquake . Over fifteen communities in the municipality suffered moderate damage including large cracks and separated walls in a number of community churches and landslides covering roads. The town and municipality

5925-462: The territory is used for either agriculture or livestock. There are some areas with forest. There are two main types of wild vegetation in the municipality. The first runs along the north side of the Sierra Made del Sur where there are mixed forests with various species of trees including oak and mahogany . On the south side, there is low-growth rainforest (under fifteen meters of height) with much of

6004-410: The use of ceramic technologies and therefore the form of the tamale is thought to predate the tortilla. Similarities between the two maize products can be found in both the ingredients, preparation techniques, and the linguistic ambiguity exhibited by the pan-Mayan term wa referring to a basic, daily consumed maize product that can refer to either tortillas or tamales. In Mexico , tamales begin with

6083-418: The weavers to create new items and designs including pants, bathrobes, skirts and more. However, the huipil remains the most common and most sought-after item even though they tend to sell better to foreign buyers than Mexican ones as foreigners tend to appreciate the effort that goes into traditional weaving. The traditional diet of the municipality is based on corn and other locally grown products. Chocolate

6162-436: Was customary for Aztec women to stay up for two to three days cooking tamales before a wedding. (Codex, Book IX). In terms of festivities, the most notable was Uauhquiltamalcualiztli , which was celebrated during the 18th month of the calendar round . The name of the celebration translates to 'The Eating of Tamales Stuffed with Amaranth Greens' and was a celebration of the fire deity Ixcozauhqui . Another significant ritual for

6241-522: Was the capital of an Amuzgo dominion, which was subject in part to the Mixtec province of Ayacastla when the Aztecs arrived in the 15th century. While Ayacastla was subjugated, the Amuzgos were never completely or directly under the control of the Aztecs. However, because of Aztec domination of the area, the name Xochistlahuaca comes from Nahuatl and means "plain of flowers." This is also the case for "Amuzgo" which means "where there are books," probably referring to

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