Cacao and Shamanism

comp alt mental health exam 1

cacao uses

medicine, stimulant, sacred drink, currency, ceremonies, mytholigies, sharing among tribes

cacao grows where?

theobroma cacao tree

cacao origin

olmec, maya, toltec, and mexica/aztec and guatemala cultures

where was the tree domesticated

upper amazon then spread northward

mayan calendar

260 days- gestation

20 days x 13 Dieties

cacao is the tool to connect with the spirit, master plant

how did it get to mesoamerica

monkeys or trade routes

cacao stats

30-50 beans per plant, meditation dose: 30g, ceremonial dose 40g, each fruit: 1 cup

process

fermenting, drying, roasting, peel, grind

ethical concerns

monocrop, no land regeneration, depletes minerals, child labor, cultural re-appropriation, agroforestry, gmo