History of Kakaw "Cacao"

This is a brief explanation of the product cacao, its origin, meaning, and importance on its beginnings of usage only. 

The story of Cacao begins with a small tree (4–8 m (13–26 ft) tall) evergreen tree  native to the deep tropical region of America. Its seeds are used to make cacao powder and chocolate. In 1735 Linnaeus designated this tree the scientific Latin name "Theobroma cacao" meaning the "Food of the Gods". The generic name is derived from the Greek for "Food of the Gods"; from θεος (theos), meaning "God," and βρῶμα (broma), meaning "Food". 

Kakaw hieroglyph written in the Maya script: (The word was also written in several other ways in old Maya texts).

The specific name cacao is derived from the native name of the plant in indigenous Mesoamerican languages. The cacao was known as kakaw in Tzeltal, K'iche' and Classic Maya; kagaw in Sayula Popoluca; and cacahuatl in Nahuatl. 

The word cacao is derived from kakaw in ancient Zoque, the language of the Olmecs, who first domesticated cacao (1500 BC - 400 BC) The Olmecs operated a great trading empire and had large settlements in Chiapas, Yucatan, and Guatemala, all areas where cacao could be grown. In fact, the Maya word "kakaw" is of Olmec origin and the first recorded use of the term was in 400 BC, at the end of the Olmec period. Maya writing was the best developed of any in Mesoamerica. It used a combination of symbols to express both concepts and phonetic syllables, allowing the expression of abstract ideas.

Ek Chuah Cacao God "Black War Chief" Was the Patron God of Warriors and Merchants. (ek means "star" and chuah means "black" in Yucatec Maya)The hieroglyph of his name is an eye with a black ring, depicted carrying a bag over hes shoulder. He was a beneficial god for traveling merchants, and the owners of plantations of this crop conducted a ceremony in his honor in the month of Muán (17 May-5Jun)

Both the Mayans and Aztecs believed the cacao bean had magical, or even divine, properties, suitable for use in the most sacred rituals of birth, marriage and death.

Cacao beans constituted both a ritual beverage and a major currency system in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations. At one point, the Aztec empire received a yearly tribute of 980 loads (xiquipil in Nahuatl) of cacao, in addition to other goods. Each load represented exactly 8,000 beans. The buying power of quality beans was such that 80-100 beans could buy a new cloth, mantle.

In the year 1519 It is said that Emperor Moctezuma greeted Hernán Cortés with a frothy chocolate mug. Enhanced with Chili pepper, Vanilla or allspice, this drink was the delight of the Royal Court. Chocolate was drunk exclusively by the Aztec elite while corn by the indigents.

Funeral vase showing the glyph for Kakaw. The vase once contained cacao and was placed as an offering in the tomb of a person of elite status.

Etymologists trace the origin of the word "chocolate" to the Aztec word "xocoatl," which referred to a bitter drink brewed from cacao beans.

"Chocolate" comes from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, from the word chocolātl, which many sources derived from xocolātl [ʃokolaːtɬ], from xococ 'sour' or 'bitter', and ātl 'water' or 'drink'. Given derivation from the Yucatec Maya word "chokol" meaning hot, and the Nahuatl "atl" meaning water.

Visit Cafe Kakaw for Hot Chocolate & Mole