Alegria - Past and Future of The Eternal Amaranth

Recently at a dinner party I got served a beautiful salad containing Quinoa. "It is an ancient grain", one of the guest explained. Later, that weekend I saw a bag labeled "kichiwa", while grocery shopping. I immediately recognized it as Amaranth, a grain that is slightly smaller than Quinoa. Quinoa and amaranth are two plants commonly used in Mexican and South American cooking but they are gaining popularity in the US lately. Amaranth is also grown as an beautiful, fluffy ornamental flower (pictured above). Just like quinoa, amaranth is considered a "pseudo cereal" - since real cereals are grasses. Other pseudo cereals are buckwheat and chia seeds.


I didn't tell the other dinner guest but I was very familiar with these ancient foods. Back in Mexico, I used to eat the traditional candy called "Alegria" - it was sold on road stands and markets all over Mexico. Alegrias are similar to rice krispy treats, small bars of popped amaranth glued together with molasses or honey. To the ancient Mexicas this amazing little seed was called "Huautli", to the Mayas it was "Txes" and to the Incas and present time Peruvians - "Kiwicha". The word in Spanish - Alegria, literally means "joy", and it is very appropriate since amaranth is said to be a natural anti depressant.

There were many rituals associated with Amaranth just like the ones for chia seeds in ancient Mexico. But unlike the rituals associated with chia (fertility), the mysterious associations of Amaranth could have been the continuity of life, nourishment, or even immortality. In the time of the Aztecs, enormous statues were paraded among crowds during religious celebrations. These statues were made out of amaranth seed mixed with honey and some times blood. At the end of the celebration these enormous statues were cut in pieces and distributed among participants for a type of symbolic cannibalism and communion with the gods.


Mexican artist Javier Marín creates dynamic, large scale figurative images. One of his projects involves casting large statues out of resin that have amaranth seeds inside them, drawing inspiration from ancient rituals. The images above are the heads of three women, via Iturralde gallery and ArtScene. Judith Christensen writes: "In the materials, as well, Marin fuses old and the new. Western European and indigenous Mexican - is basic to Marin's work. Like Marin's resin, the amaranth produced figures that looked heavy, but were comparatively light weight".

Pictured Ricardo Peralta and Rodolfo Neri Vela (right), 1985. Via Space Facts

In the same manner, combining the old and the new in the kitchen allows us to find interesting, unexpected discoveries. Rodolfo Neri Vela, the first Mexican astronaut back in the 80's was also the first to patent amaranth as the perfect astronaut food. Originally amaranth was selected because of its versatility and its ability to survive diverse conditions, but it also turned out to be one of the few seeds that germinated in outer space.

Amaranth is highly usable. The seeds and the greens are both edible. It is a highly resilient plant, it belongs to a species generally considered a weed. It could help maintains brain functions and the nervous system by regulating serotonin and providing protein. Amaranth is also highly nutritious, it is a good source of vitamins A, K, BC, and C. It is also full of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. It could be well said that Amaranth may be the food of the future! I leave you with these words by John Milton, from his famed poem "Paradise Lost":

"Immortal amarant, a flower which once

In paradise, fast by the tree of life,

Began to bloom; but soon for man's offence

To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows,

And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life,

And where the river of bliss through midst of heaven

Rolls o'er elysian flowers her amber stream:

With these that never fade the spirits elect

Bind their resplendent locks."

LINKS

Learn how to make Abstract Amaranth Candy on my next post!

Learn more about Javier Marín at the artist's interactive website. The website is bilingual, and a very interesting site to navigate. His studio itself is amazing, it was featured on HGTV's "The art of Mexican Design".

Mr. Marín was also the winner of a contest to re-create the altar at the Cathedral of Zacatecas, a UNESCO world heritage site. The project will be unveiled in June the 26, 2010. Learn more about the event at the artist's facebook page.



Read Rodolfo Neri Vela's article about Amaranth in Space (in Spanish) via Buenas Noticias. The photos of the amaranth bars are from that site, taken by Meliton Tapia of INAH

Bejeweled scarabs, roaches, and other fantastic bugs

I used to have a jeweled Makech scarab just like the one pictured above when I was a kid. I got him during a trip to Veracruz. According to Raul Ybarra's Biblioteca de Joyeria, (Library of jewels, in Spanish) the Makech (or Maquech) are a variety of beetles from the Yucatan Peninsula. Different from other coleoptera, the Makechs are wingless. They live in decaying trees, and absorb nutrients and moisture from bark. To ancient Mexicans the association with jewelry was probably obvious: These animals have a light golden pronotum and their black, metal like legs adhere to fabric just like velcro. Yucatecans painted them and would add little crystals in order to sell them as "living jewelry". The Makech are slow, yet a little "leash" is attached to them so they can walk around without getting lost. According to Ybarra the Makech spend most of their life as larvae, once they reach full maturity they stop eating and breathing until they eventually die.

There is a legend behind the use of Makech as jewelry. Like many other Mexican legends (the one about vanilla, and the legend of the volcanoes) this one has to do with tragic love:
A beautiful Mayan princess is not allowed to marry a prince from a rival clan. Heartbroken, she stops eating and drinking, preferring to die than to live without her lover's embrace. Before dying, a powerful Medicine Man (a "Chaman") takes pity on her and transforms her into a Makech beetle, a beautiful living broach for the prince to wear on his chest, right next to his heart.

On a less romantic note: To the naked eye these animals don't seem to have a mouth, eyes or an anus. They don't appear to drink water, eat or produce waste. Native people of the Yucatan used to say that the Makech could live to be a hundred years, miracously surviving by "eating" the air around them. The lack of water and waste may have prompted the enterprising folks at Industrias Makech (creators of ecological waterless urinals) to adopt a Makech as their symbol.



To the Egyptians the beetle was also a powerful symbol associated with immortality. You can read an amazing article by Yves Cambefort about beetles as religious symbols at bug bios. Mr. Yves claims that "Ornaments used by traditional cultures are not purely for decorative appeal; they posses an auspicious nature believed to increase the bearer's strength. Therefore, as often as possible, edible objects are used as ornaments, especially if they have additional aesthetic qualities and shamanic symbolism". That statement made a lot of sense to me. There are more than 80 species of edible scarabs in Mexico. Families of the the Cerambycidae, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthidae and Passalidae are eaten in the larva stages, often called "gusanos". Adult edible scarabs are called "Chahuis" or "Xamoles". The image below comes from wikipedia's Gastronomia Prehispanica de Mesoamerica. It shows edible larvae and toasted scarabs. Some bugs like "jumiles" (or Chumiles) are eaten while they are still alive. Eating live insects may have root in ritual, and it is possible that to ancient Mexicans there was also an association between scarabs and immortality, but I haven't been able to find any research supporting that. Still.....I think the subject is fascinating: Scarabs as jewelry, a possible shamanic symbol, and you can also eat them!



Of couse, everything old is new again. Jared Gold, fashion designer for Black Chandelier claims he invented the trend of living insect jewelry. His creations were featured in the show America's Next Top Model. Ironically, Mr. Gold uses an insect with less than sacred associations, alluding instead to images of dirt and urban decay: Cockroaches. I think it is interesting that the one similarity between roaches and scarabs is resiliency. When asked by the Washington Post about his inspiration Mr. Gold replied: "You know, the whole thing where we make collections of clothes and this came to me. You know, it is my job to come up with new things like this. It is what I do". In the same interview he also mentions the trend of living things as ornamentation, specifically Victorian ladies wearing baby monkeys on their hats. He vaguely references the Mexican Makech: "A version of this originated in South America. Women would pin a dead beettle to a cork and wear it on their dress. As far as live insects go, we are Patient Zero". You can see the full transcript of the interview at Black Chandelier. or The Washington Post (The image below comes from the Washington Post).



Back to my pet beetle: Little Mac the Makech came to live with me more than 30 years ago. As soon as we arrived to Mexico City I removed the jewels from his head and body because I believed it was cruel for him to wear them. I made a habitat for him in one of my mother's potted plants, where he was allowed to just be a scarab. He would slowly climb on the plant, at times he would hang on a dry branch for long periods of time. He passed on several months later. I buried his remains in the park in front of our condo, under a large tree where I also buried the remains of Grumpy, my hamster and Athos and Portos, my two turtles.

Finally, you may wonder what inspired me to post this? While browsing at Kinokuniya, one of my favorite bookstores in Japantown, I came across a book featuring Keisuke Kishi's amazing sculptures. They spoke to me of Makech, imagination, ingenuity and layers of history and meaning that go beyond a fashion trend.

Merman with trident

This is a sketch based on a figurine I made. I think this could could be the beginning of a nice summer fabric.

Paper Judas inspiration

The Saturday before Easter people in Mexico used to burn paper mache figures called "Judas". I still remember street vendors selling crazy looking mini judas figures at the main plaza in Coyoacan. The Judas pictured above hangs at Bazaar del Sabado, a fancy crafts market in Mexico City.

Muralist Diego Rivera was a collector of Judas figures. His main supplier was a humble woman named Carmen Caballero. Carmen was a "Judera" extraordinaire. She made her creations out of wire, reeds, newspaper and brown paper bags. Rivera loved Caballero's natural talent. He would hang her creations all over his studio. His wife Frida Kahlo would even dress them in her old clothes. Rivera claimed that sculptor Henry Moore's modernistic sculptures were inspired by Carmen's Judas, after Moore saw them during a visit to his studio. What do you think? Does the winged devil pictured above looks like a modernistic sculpture?

If you want to read more about Judas figures visit Papier Mache UK. They feature an article I wrote about paper mache and ephemeral art.

Totonacan Fragrant Art

My grandfather was from Veracruz, Mexico. I remember that while traveling there many years ago I saw several curious little crafts created by local artesans. Straw-like figurines shaped like crosses, hearts, animals and flowers were actually created with woven vanilla beans! The most amazing one I remember was shaped like a very realistic scorpion with many slender legs. Here's some simple examples of this tradition, from the blog vida surrealista. This blog narrates (in Spanish) more about the culture of Veracruz.


Terms like "French Vanilla" may lead folks to believe that this popular spice originated in Europe. Vanilla beans were first cultivated by the native habitants of Veracruz, the Totonacans. The name "Vanilla" is actually a derivative of the Spanish word "Vaina" or sheath, yet the original name was "Caxixanath", or hidden flower. According to this legend, the blood of a Totonacan princess originated the delicate orchid flower that produces vanilla.


The image above features fresh vanilla beans and a figurine with a rosary made out of woven vanilla beans. It comes from lidiosa's photo stream on flickr (gracias lidiosa). Maybe this is evidence of syncretism, a clue that the little vanilla sculptures were once used as ritual objects by the Totonacans? Whatever the reason, I just remember that the smell of these little figurines was wonderful! I really hope that this tradition doesn't disappear in modern times.

Bird nest at Civic Center...

I was walking to the farmer's market when I had the pleasure of watching artist Patrick Dougherty and an assistant working high on a scaffolding. He was making one of his signature twig sculptures on the trees in front of Civic Center. Looks to me like they were weaving and arranging twigs in order to create the sculptures using no special tools, just their bare hands!


Doesn't it look like a cute dwelling out of an Ewok village? (OK, I'm a nerd for not coming up with a better comparison). I asked the artist how many pods/nests he was going to make. He said that he could make several. So far he had one and was working on another. What I like about this type of installation is that the artist uses readily available natural materials (look at all the twigs available - he could make a whole Ewok city!) so it is a really "green" way of creating.

The final piece blends in and looks like it belongs to the trees on site. I can't wait to go back this weekend and look at the progress. Please visit Mr. Dougherty's website, stickwork.net and see more of his amazing work.

Ekeko's fair of prosperity!

This image is from a storefront on Mission Street, San Francisco. This little fellow may look like an Andean merchant wearing his traditional hat and carrying sacks of grain to market. It is hard to tell from the picture but he also carries a bunch of bills. He is actually the god of abundance and prosperity named Ekeko (I've also seen it spelled "Equeco").

Ekeko has a wide smile, doesn't he? According to lore, you are supposed to place a lit cigarette inside his mouth as an offering on certain days. Smoking makes Ekeko happy and he'll grant you prosperity and wishes - but only if he smokes it all the way trough, without the cigarette going off. Ekekos are seen in Peru, Bolivia and some places in Argentina. There is actually a big fair (La Feria de las Alacitas) in La Paz, on January the 24th. At this fair you can buy Ekko figurines and the miniature items he carries - clothing, food, grain, colorful fabric and other goods. These miniatures serve as representations of the things one wishes Ekeko to bring, in order to have an abundant and lush life.

There is one caveat: You have to rely on the generosity of others in order to have an Ekeko figurine. You can't buy a figurine for yourself, it would be tremendously unlucky. Someone needs to give you the Ekeko as a gift in order for his magic to be effective. With this economy being what it is I hope someone gets one for me! I think Ekekos are charming works of folk art. They are also a South American reminder that even the prosperous have to rely on other people.

Art Chef

Chef Jimmy Zhang creates beautiful works of art. His website, Art Chef is full of examples of birds, fish and flowers made by cutting and carving ordinary fruits and vegetables.

Making these intricate pieces must take a lot of patience! It also takes a deep understanding of sculpture and the characteristics of the delicate materials. For example, utilizing the shape and natural color gradation of watermelons, Chef Jimmy intricately carves the outer layer of the fruit to create flowers of extraordinary beauty.

If you are in the San Francisco Bay area you can take one of his classes at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. He can also do a carving demonstration for your next event.

Revolutionary Gnomes!

I found this image via La Tête Krançien's on flickr. Are they Mexican wrestlers figurines? Porcelain Zapatistas? NO! These radically adorable insurgents wear marks reminiscent of Dia de los Muertos (the Mexican "Day of the Dead" holiday) and are part of the FLNJ - Front de Liberation des Nanins de Jardin (Garden Gnome Liberation Front). It is great to see the EZLN influencing and inspriring people in Europe...and fantasy land!

Wing of a graphite angel

Could you believe that this beautiful miniature sculpture is also a writing object? Sculptor Agelio Batle creates stunningly beautiful "pencils" in a variety of shapes. You must visit his website. With drawing materials like these how could you not be inspired?