In itself, vanilla sounds like a miracle cure, but Francisco Hernandez also talks about three flavorings that “excites the venereal appetite,” the Viagra of the sixteenth century. Vanilla, cacao, and macaxochitl (a plant related to black pepper and known now as acuyo) were the top three contenders that would do the trick. In fact, centuries later, vanilla’s reputation as an aphrodisiac still continues.
Traditional Totonac Vanilla Farming
Until the late 1600s, vanilla only grew wild in the forest. Over a period of time it was domesticated by cutting the vines and planting them closer together in the forest to create ease in harvesting. Domesticating vanilla also made it easier for the insect pollinators to reach the flowers and production improved dramatically.
It was not until 1875 that some French men living on the Vera Cruz Coast brought from France the technique for artificially pollinating vanilla. Initially, they kept this information among themselves and vanilla processors, but the Totonacs accused them of stealing their beans because of their larger harvests, so the Totonacs were taught the technique as well. This innovation changed the Mexican industry completely, of course, and the Totonac growers became wealthier, though never as wealthy as the Euro-Mexicans who purchased their green beans and sold the dried beans to Europe and America.
The following explains the traditions, uses, and spiritual value of vanilla in the Totonac culture.
The Totonacs grow their own vanilla in a similar environment to the way it grows naturally in the forest. Their method and rituals remained virtually unchanged until the 1970s. Today, the Totonac farmers continue to grow vanilla in a similar fashion, but most of the rituals surrounding the cycle are no longer practiced.
Before any work began, Kiwigilo, the “old man of the forest,” was consulted and permission was requested to clear the land. At this time, they also requested that no venomous snakes would come into the vanilla plantation.
It was customary to make a promise to Kiwigilo at the time of planting to ensure a good harvest. A ritual meal of fiery mole with turkey was prepared and given to the land as an offering for fertility and to ensure that the vanilla thrived. Small tortillas were prepared in the numbers of two, four, five, eight, ten, and twelve to use as ritual foods for the gods. These were traditional numbers that were syncretized with Catholicism to represent the 12 Apostles.
There were two altars in the traditional Totonac home. The main altar, the one most people saw upon entering the house, was the Catholic altar. It was—and still is—decorated with woven palm ornaments, pictures of saints, icons, flowers, and candles. In a prominent spot there would be offerings of food and drink.
The traditional Totonac altar was below the main altar and dedicated to Kiwigilo. It was usually hidden behind small decorative cut paper banners (papel picado). Fabrics decorated with ritual designs covered the altar. Idols and figures made of stone or iron—legitimate archeological pieces found by the Totonacs in the countryside during their work in the fields—decorated the altar. These idols were passed from fathers to sons over the generations. Offerings consisted of native plants and fruits, minerals, bones, animal skins, bird feathers, maize and seeds, earth, and water. Cigars made from locally grown tobacco were also placed on the altar. In the Catholic churches in the rural areas throughout Totonacapan, it is still common to see the patron saints of the town dressed in traditional Totonac dress with small offerings of water, refino (sugarcane alcohol), and maize kernels at the feet of the saints. Placed there at the beginning of the planting season, would guarantee a good harvest.
Next, the land was cut back and then burned to clear out the forest understory. Acahual were allowed to remain as they provided the necessary shade for the vanilla. Rapid-growing bushes that were easy to propagate were planted to serve as tutors for the vanilla; traditional bushes and small trees included ramon, laurel, chaca, capu-lin, pata de vaca, balletilla (cachuapaxtle), cojon de gato, and pichoco. These bushes were chosen for their small leaves and year-round foliage so that the sun/shade balance would be maintained. Healthy vanilla vines (esquejes) 2–3 m in length were cut from the forest and planted individually or in rows of twos next to the tutors.
For the Totonacs, each of the many varieties of vanilla that grew in the region had religious significance. Vanilla pompona, called Vainilla bastarda, was considered the
“Queen of Vanilla,” and was always planted at a key point on the plantation. As V. pompona is larger and hardier than V. planifolia, it was believed that it would protect the other plants, and that if bad spirits or harm to the family came through disease or curses, it would affect V. pompona first and be absorbed, leaving the family safe.
V. planifolia was known as Vainilla mestiza. Vainilla rayada also known as Vainilla rayo or Vainilla de taro (bamboo vanilla) has a striped leaf and similar fragrance to planifolia. It was the vanilla that was always dedicated to the most important cult of fertility. There was also Vainilla de puerco (pig vanilla), Vainilla de mono (monkey vanilla) and Vainilla oreja de burro (donkey ear vanilla) Vainilla de monte alto (vanilla of the tall forest), and others, each with its own special story, most of which, unfortunately, have never been recorded and are probably lost forever.
Traditional plantations ranged in size from 10 to 30 ha. A compost of dead leaves and other forest matter was applied to the base of the plants in February, August, and December.
It took between three and four years for the first blooms to appear on the traditional plantation. March 18th was the Fiesta de Fecundacion, the celebration of fertility. Flowering commenced at this time and continued into early May. During pollination there were dietary restrictions. Beef and fish were prohibited as were some other foods, in order not to forfeit the setting of the flowers. They also abstained from sex during the period dedicated to pollination.
Once artificial pollination was discovered, it was always called “the marriage of vanilla.” Because the pollination was done manually with a small stick, moving the pollen from the male anther and depositing it on the female stigma, it was similar to intercourse. The fact that it took between eight and nine months for the vanilla bean to develop, the entire cycle was not unlike that of human procreation. For this reason, the vanilla was perceived, in the Totonac vision of the world, as divinely tied to humankind.
According to Totonac belief and practice, vanilla orchids have both male and female plants. The males produce lots of flowers but the beans do not set, and quickly drop-off. As the plants essentially look the same, if the plants do not bear fruit over four years they were removed from the plantation, a practice continued today. It was recently shown that a chromosome alteration (triploidy) was responsible for sterility in some vines because of unviable pollen.
The stick used for pollination was—and still is—carefully prepared. Some farmers believed that the type of wood does not matter, but others believed that the heart of the chaca was the only wood to use. The tip was whittled with a knife or machete until it had a thin, chisel-like point. Plants high up and out of reach were pollinated because they were less likely to be stolen. Ropes or ladders were used to reach the blossoms. V. pompona was sometimes used for pollination. The flower was cut and carried to the cultivated vine; the pollination process was the same except that it used two flowers rather than just one. The pods from this cross were larger and heavier, but not as desirable. A day or two after pollination, the flowers were checked to make sure the beans had set. If not, additional flowers were pollinated to ensure maximum production.