The acculturation of the Nicarao Natives in Nicaragua
Nacatamal steps of preparation
The history of the colonization of the Nicarao by Spain influenced and acculturated the modern diet of the Nicaraguans and is still as relevant to this day as it was during the colonization period. We can see these influences in their genetic makeup, religion, family, traditional health beliefs and practices, food origins, and their native meals, such as the Nacatamal.
The Nicarao and Pipil natives were Nahuat-speaking groups who migrated from central and southern Mexico over many centuries (early A.D.700 to about A.D 1350), were indirectly connected to the collapse of Teotihuacan city, and both directly and indirectly related to the expansion and later demise of the Toltec empire, Fowler (as cited in Davis 1977; Weaver 1981). An important consequence of the latest series of Nahuatl incursions into Central America was the splitting up of the Pipil and the Nicarao, and movement of the latter into Nicaragua at about 1200 A.D. (Fowler as cited in Healy 1980; Fowler 1981). The native Nicaraos settled in the Western shores of Lake Managua (Fowler 1981), and Nahuat speakers eventually came to control prime agricultural lands and other economic resources in Pacific Central America. Colonization of Nicaragua started in 1524, when Spain entered through the western shores of Nicaragua along the Pacific coast. The Nicarao were either removed from Nicaragua by the slave trade or effectively exterminated by warfare, and epidemics within a century after the conquest by Spain 1522 (Fowler as cited in Squier 1852m 2:313-14). The name of the country is said to originate from the name of the native Nicarao and combined with the term “agua,” which means water in Spanish, due to the many natural lakes in the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua.
The acculturation period of the Nicarao was marked with appropriation of the land by Spain and Germany. Spain invited Germans to come and develop the new agricultural land in Nicaragua, seizing land from the natives for the new settlers to manage and to own. The land in the west coast of Nicaragua was preferred due to the natural resources such as freshwater tropical lakes that faced the Pacific Ocean in south of the country and the rich marine life in a tropical setting. This history was documented by Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo; he was a soldier, writer, and a historian. During the conquest, Oviedo chronicle the physical condition of the natives, foods, and their lifestyles in his book titled, “Historia general de las Indias”, published in 1535, (Baribar, A. 2015). In addition to appropriation of the land, the Spaniards soldiers took possession of the wives of the natives, and generic research in 2021 shows within the mestizo populations there is a tri-hybrid chromosomal composition with predominant Native American contribution (54-69%), followed by European (19-28%), and African contribution (12-19%) (Baeta & et al., 2021).
The Roman Catholic Church gave permission to Spain to convert the natives to Catholicism, and they were baptized and indoctrinated into the religion at this time. Today, Nicaraguan people are very religious and celebrate many Christian saint days and holiday like Easter and Christmas. Most Nicaraguans believe health is a gift from God and prayer is often used to restore harmony during illness (Kittler, Sucher, & Nelms, 2017). Most of the country remains Catholic to this date.
Nicaraguan’s value the immediate family above everything else and grandparents are regarded with great respect. The father is the bread winner and the head of the home, and the mother stays at home taking care of the children. The families tend to be large with several children, and the children stay home until married. The Nicaraguan people that have migrated to the US are dispersed among other Latinos and are adapting more to the pan-Latino community rather than retaining their own heritage exclusively (Kittler & et al., 2017).
Traditional health beliefs and practices, Nicaraguan’s believe in witchcraft, practiced by brujos or brujas who can assume the shapes of animals and have power to cure illness or cause illness (Kittler and et al 2017). Anemia health beliefs include accurate biomedical knowledge, and others held folk medical beliefs including home remedies, for example drinking the milk of a mare or beet juice and eating certain foods such as bean soup (Ailinger RL, Moore JB, Pawloski L, & Cortes. 2009). Herbs are used to cook and treat illnesses. Herbs used include mint, gentian, epazote, cilantro, and the silk of corn. These herbs are used to make tea concoctions or poultice packs. For example, gentian herb is used to treat fungal and bacterial infections and epazote is used to treat digestive parasite infections and added to beans for flavor during cooking.
The food flavors that were brought by the Nicarao from Central and Southern Mexico were more tropical and Indian influenced in nature. The complex, spicy sauces are the base for thick stews with added pork, beef, poultry, or game. Another popular flavor preparation method is to steam foods wrapped on banana leaves, called pibil. Early Mayan records indicate that the foundation of their diet was corn and beans in Central America. Supplemented with squash, tomatoes, and chiles. Other foods available were yuca, cocoa, and chili peppers like habaneros. Tropical fruits available are plentiful due to the tropical weather and include pineapples, mangoes, papayas, and many other tropical fruits (Kittler & et al., 2017). Spain brought foods such as rice, onions, olives, potatoes, tomatoes, and domesticated hogs (Kittler & et al., 2017). The Nicaraguan foods were also influenced by Germans that brought agriculture farming practices (coffee) and Christmas traditional meals. The African slaves had an influence in the food and spices of the native Nicarao, which can be seen in the Eastern Atlantic Coast Creole style meals.
The native food meals of Nicaragua include a variety of tubers that are boiled, roasted, or fried like yuca. The boiled yuca is serve as a base for chicharrons (pork rinds) and pickled cabbage salad; this food can be prepared at home or street vendors sell it too. Plantains are a staple and are eaten often during the day at lunch or dinner boiled, roasted, or fried and served with salsas. Corn tortillas are used like bread and are often served with Gallo Pinto (means colorful roaster) which is rice and pinto beans, season with spices like coriander and fresh cilantro. Other dishes include hearty soups and stews made with organ meats from the cow such as brain, tongue, or tripe heavily season with spices like achiote and Chile peppers and served with corn tortillas. The Nacatamal is a large like tamal (parcel shape) that contains corn masa, rice, pork, achiote spice, olives, raisins, peppers, potato, tomato, lard, milk, sour orange juice, onion, garlic, mint and is cooked in banana leaves. Wrapped like small parcels that are tied with the bark of the banana tree. The packages of Nacatamal are boiled or steamed (Kittler & et al., 2017).
Spain has influenced the flavors of the Nacatamal for centuries. The corn masa no longer is just corn and achiote wrapped in a banana leaf, but now it has the complex flavors of Spain. Olives, seasoned pork, rice, tomatoes, and mint are some of the new foods added to these large tamales. This labor-intensive dish is made possible by the many hands of the family and is reserved for Sunday and special family celebrations, and birthdays. The time the family spends together preparing the food is necessary to maintain the health and happiness of the family, and communication is part of the fun that takes place during the preparation and eating.
References
Ailinger RL, Moore JB, Pawloski L, & Cortés LRZ. (2009). Concepts of anemia among low-income Nicaraguan women. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem (RLAE), 17(2), 147–152. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692009000200002
Baeta, M., Prieto-Fernández, E., Núñez, C., Kleinbielen, T., Villaescusa, P., Palencia-Madrid, L., Alvarez-Gila, O., Martínez-Jarreta, B., & de Pancorbo, M. M. (2021). Study of 17 X-STRs in Native American and Mestizo populations of Central America for forensic and population purposes. International Journal of Legal Medicine, 135(5), 1773–1776. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-021-02536-9
Baraibar, Á. (2015). El concepto de autoridad en la Historia general y natural de las Indias de Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo. Hispanófila, 171(1), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.1353/hsf.2014.0034
Evans, S. (2003). Central America. Encyclopedia of World Environmental History, 1, 204–208.
Fernández De Oviedo Y Valdés, G. (1526) About the Natural History of the Indies. Toledo: Ramon Petras. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666764/.
Fowler, W. R. (1985). Ethnohistoric Sources on the Pipil-Nicarao of Central America: A Critical Analysis. Ethnohistory, 32(1), 37–62. https://doi.org/10.2307/482092
Karl, A. (2014). Forks. A Quest For Culture, Cuisine And Connection. WorldRider Publishing & Press.
Kittler, Sucher, & Nelms. (2017). Food & Culture. (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Raw Nacatamal View