The ancestral dishes of Campeche (part one)
The Mayan villages of the state of Campeche maintain traditions and culinary techniques that date back centuries. Let's get to know some of them, as well as their meaning in the Mayan worldview.
…only corn entered the flesh of our parents…
Popol Vuh.
The gastronomy of the Campeche peoples is based on corn, a gift from the gods, fruit of the sacred land from which the masa dough was made to create us.
Mazorca by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Being a key ingredient of many typical Campeche dishes, corn is an essential part of the daily life of many Campeche families, as well as their traditions.
La milpa by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
For example, corn plays a special role on the Day of the Dead, Hanal Pixán. Families harvest the cobs to make the masa dough of the pibipollo (slow-roasted chicken), a tamal offering that is placed on the altar to receive the ancestors,
Pibinal by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Many dishes eaten in these communities are made using centuries-old techniques, such as the pibinal, a corn cob cooked in the pi'ib, an underground oven.
Atado de maíz y frijol (2016) by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Juuncháach paak'al, "atado de siembras"
In Mayan houses it is common to find this bound corn and beans. It is kept in a strategic place near the stove so that the smoke keeps away from pests that can attack these seeds. The best seeds are set aside to sow the cornfield that will serve for the offering to the ancestors on Hanal Pixan.
Las tortillas en el comal maya by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
The ok'ooben: the Mayan stove
The ok'ooben or stove of the Mayan house is formed of three stones. It symbolizes the feminine quality of giving life, as well as preserving the fire, so vital to the balance of the three levels of the world, symbolized by one stone each, according to the Mayan worldview.
El fogón maya by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
The ok'ooben or stove of the Mayan house is formed of three stones. It symbolizes the feminine quality of giving life, as well as preserving the fire, so vital to the balance of the three levels of the world, symbolized by one stone each, according to the Mayan worldview.
Cocina tradicional campechana 2 by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
The ok'ooben or stove of the Mayan house is formed of three stones. It symbolizes the feminine quality of giving life, as well as preserving the fire, so vital to the balance of the three levels of the world, symbolized by one stone each, according to the Mayan worldview.
Pib de maguey by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
PI'ib: the underground oven
The cooking technique par excellence in Mayan cuisine is pib, piib or pi'ib, which means buried. Much of the daily food and ritual is cooked in this earth oven. Once the fire lights up and the stones glow red, the food is laid out for cooking and covered with oak, catzim, pixol and/or habim tree leaves.
Hombres cerrando el pib by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
The cooking technique par excellence in Mayan cuisine is pib, piib or pi'ib, which means buried. Much of the daily food and ritual is cooked in this earth oven. Once the fire lights up and the stones glow red, the food is laid out for cooking and covered with oak, catzim, pixol and/or habim tree leaves.
El pib by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Thus the countryside, the terraces and the patios of the Mayan houses can be seen, once the pi'ib is closed, cooking the food.
Pibipollos salidos del maguey by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
With this ancestral culinary technique, typical Campeche stews and dishes are prepared such as: corn in pi or pibinal, cochinita pibil, pibipollos (tamales for the day of the dead), chirmole and sweet pumpkin with honey, to mention a few . In this photo they are presented freshly-born chicks.
Hombre cuidando el kiitán by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Another dish that is cooked in the pi'ib (underground oven) is Kiitam, a mountain pig, originating from the Yucatan Peninsula, different from the Iberian pig. The man is in charge of preparing the fire for the pib (underground oven), in which it will be cooked.
Tapando el kiitán by Rafael MenesesMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Kiitam is seasoned and marinated with sour orange juice, it is placed on the embers of the pib (underground oven) and is left to cook for an hour and a half.
Finally, it is covered with pixol leaves.
These are just some of the typical dishes of the Mayan families in Campeche. For them, another essential part of their meals are the ingredients. Learn more about them in the second part of this exhibition.
<b>Instituto Campechano de Cultura (Campechano Institute of Culture)</b><br>Dirección de Investigación y Posgrado. (Research and postgraduate department.)<br>Escuela de gastronomía.<br>(School of gastronomy.) Mtro. Rafael Enrique Meneses López<br>
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