In a terracotta-painted room with burning candles and clay masks adorning the walls, a young Mexican tourist immerses her fingers in a gourd of coarse cocoa nibs before tasting one. Her family from Cancún discusses its earthy complex flavors during a workshop on indigenous cocoa varieties. Ervit Hernández Hernández, founder of Chima Cacao, observes approvingly as they connect to the bean’s millennia-old heritage.
Chocolate dominates global desserts, yet few grasp its deep pre-Hispanic roots in Mexico. Even in the cocoa-growing heartland, local consumption lags behind imports. This gap underscores efforts like Chima Cacao, which revitalizes traditional practices in Oaxaca, where cocoa has been cultivated for 4,000 years.
Preserving Cocoa Heritage
Chima Cacao bridges indigenous knowledge with modern appreciation. Diego Armando Contreras, a biologist at the organization, emphasizes that understanding cocoa’s origin fosters “tools, understanding, and a sense of roots.” His team trains staff on the science and history of Mesoamerican cocoa traditions, including the Nahuatl term cacahuatl for the bean.
Photos capture Contreras refecting in a mirror at Chima’s tasting bar, alongside Chima’s Operations Manager Elvia Velasco and Production Chief Arely Pérez crafting chocolate bars.
For artisan Carmen Martínez, tejate—a pre-Hispanic frothy cacao beverage—embodies family and tradition. After 30 years selling it near San Bartolo Coyotepec, she prepares it using heirloom corn and oak ash, a ritual passed through generations. “It’s part of my roots,” she shares, contrasting it with modern chocolate treats. Her recipe, taught by her grandmother, fuels community resilience, funding education for her children.
Across the Sierra Norte, Reynalda García Juárez nurtures cocoa trees on ancestral land, part of a cooperative aiming to improve farmers’ livelihoods. Despite challenges like poverty and low market prices, the group pools resources to sell stronger-yielding beans. García notes: “God brought me here to work,” reflecting deep cultural ties to the land.
Chima Cacao’s founder, Ervit Hernández Hernández, acknowledges incremental impact: “We aren’t saving farmers, but their high-quality beans transform our business.” This symbiotic relationship sustains traditions in Oaxaca, where cocoa’s past and present coexist uniquely.