The History of Cacao: Then & Now
The true birthplace of cacao remains unconfirmed. The old theory places it in the Chiapas region of Mexico. More recent thinking has it further south in Ecuador. It may have in fact evolved independently in both regions around the same time. It was likely the Olmecs who were the first society to indulge in cacao as both a food and currency. They had the first organized social structure in the Americas where an upper class emerged. The slaves and lower class would have toiled endlessly while the upper class lived in the lap of luxury. One of their indulgences was cacao, the bean which chocolate is derived from. History is unclear about what exactly transpired in Mesoamerica. As different societies rose and fell cacao remained an important culinary and ritualistic food, first for the Olmecs, then the Mayans followed by the Aztecs.
Indigenous mythology and lore is seeped with appearances of cacao; from creation stories to sacrificial ceremonies, cacao was present. As you will soon read, it was also lore that leads to the downfall of the Aztec civilization. The earliest recorded European encounter with cacao was in 1502 when Christopher Columbus and his crew came across the mysterious ‘almond-shaped’ bean that was so highly revered by the indigenous Mayans.
Cacao’s journey to Europe is an epic real life Hollywood story. Hernan Cortes was a thirty–something, charismatic bearded Spanish officer based in Cuba. His likelihood for political advancement or for riches was extremely remote. The Governor of Cuba chose an unlikely Cortes to lead an expedition into the heart of current day Mexico to plunder the gold and silver before others did. Upon landing in the Yucatan Peninsula Cortes renounced his loyalty to Cuba, founded his own capital city and sank all but one of his ships so his men couldn’t return to the homeland. He kept his ties to Spanish Royalty and sent his one remaining ship to Spain with reports of how he was spreading the ‘good news’ of Christianity (while murdering, raping and plundering the indigenous population).
Cortes arrived in Mesoamerica at a time when there was much civil unrest. Many of the tribes were discontent with Emperor Montezuma’s rule. Deep within Aztec lore is a prophecy that ‘white men with beards’ would come and take their rightful place on the throne as ruler over the people. This prophecy was too powerful for even Montezuma to resist! He sent Cortes presents hoping he would accept these gifts and return home. Although Cortes only had 1000 men he rallied his troops and set off to conquer the Capital city, Tenochtitlan. Cortes and his men had to battle past many tribes of Aztec loyalists. They were badly wounded but along the way Cortez recruited many frustrated enemies of Montezuma. Upon reaching the capital city the foreigners were awestruck by the grandiose beauty and splendour, unparalleled anywhere in Europe! Cortez’ arrival was proof enough to Montezuma of the group’s Godly power. In reality they were nothing more then a rough, rugged band of self–interested mercenaries.
Montezuma invited the conquistadors into his palace as guests and declared the Spanish Empire as sovereign, handing over his kingdom to the ‘bearded white men’. Montezuma was then banished and placed under house arrest and Cortes took control as Emperor. Crazy as it may seem, Cortez and his band of a 1000 mercenaries managed to accomplish an amazing feat... walk in the front door of the largest known city and have the most feared ruler hand over his kingdom of millions!
Cortes began sending tribute back to Spain. He fabricated illnesses to the locals claiming gold consumption as the cure. He plundered the country of all the gold and silver he could by deceiving and recruiting the help of the indigenous people. As Cortez stockpiled precious metals the Aztec people were creating vast stores of cacao beans, which held much more value to them than gold.
Cortes travelled back to the Mexican coast upon receiving notice that the Governor of Cuba had sent soldiers after him. He arrived at the coast and bribed the soldiers with riches to join his army. By the time he returned to the capital city mayhem had broken loose; full insurrection ensued. Cortes’ attempted to stop Montezuma, unsuccessful his people, tired of the tyranny, stoned him. Cortes and his men retreated, regrouped and launched a counter attack in which they razed and plundered the city in a bloody massacre.
Shortly thereafter Cortes returned to Spain and with him brought gifts of cacao. This is the first known exposure to cacao for the Spanish courts. At this point it was still strictly prepared into a drink. Cortes described cacao to the courts as “the divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food.”
Once in Europe chocolate and the known world changed forever! European chemists discovered how to manipulate cacao to form a solid chocolate bar at room temperature by roasting, cracking, blowing, grinding, pressing, filtering, alkalising, conching, mixing, refining and reheating. They then added refined sugar and powdered milk (which demineralised the body and blocks anti–oxidants effects respectively) and created what is known today as chocolate.
In present day cacao production, child slave labour is alive and well. Be warned that you are contributing to its horrific
continuation if you purchase most conventional chocolate, although unknowingly. There are many factors and reasons
contributing to child slave labour which is a major reason why it is very difficult to accurately assess and
eradicate.
Children often help work on family farms. Farms are often remote and seldom visited by anyone. Traditionally parents
would send children off to apprentice, and earn money with their new skill to send home. It is a fine line and a hard one
to judge from far away what the living and working conditions will be like. Children toil in the cacao fields for over 12
hours a day, are badly beaten, barely fed, and locked into barracks at night. They are never paid for their work. If they
attempt an escape and are caught they are often beaten near to death. Slave traffickers prey on poor and desperate
children. Sometimes they kidnap, but more often they lure children with promises of bicycles and the chance to be a family
hero by earning good money to send home. The traffickers sell the kids to farmers. Financial stress and life threatening
poverty often cause farmers to make choices they know is not in the highest and best. Market prices that are notoriously
inconsistent and obscenely low coupled with a growing reliance on pesticides and the implications of their costs and high
government taxes to fund weapon races and military are also reasons for the use of this type of slave labour. Occasionally
the cacao harvest doesn’t even cover the costs of growing. Not having to compensate for labour can make cacao
farming very lucrative for some, especially when the whole world is willing to turn a blind eye to it.
Where does change begin? Always with one person...you! If you are not ok with inhumane working conditions, with kidnapping children, with forced child labour and with extreme violence and abuse then be careful of what you purchase and of what you eat. One answer is to boycott food and products that are not ethically produced. Vote with your dollar! Another option is to only purchase things that have been created with integrity, with love, and as an offering to enrich society. Educate yourself to ensure your actions reflect your beliefs!
good luck on your journey!
