Introduction:

Corn tortillas have, for generations, been a staple food choice for Mexican households. This decision is fueled by both the convenience and the complex history that allowed our ancestors to survive on this choice during times of need. The versatility of the corn tortillas allows for the creation of dozens of different meals using the same core ingredient: tortillas. Tortillas have allowed for advancements in both social and cultural life, in fact, it is one of the reasons that hunters were able to gather more food from 500 - 100 BC. The opportunity cost of time that it took to prepare full meals when it came to being time to hunt as opposed to just wrapping beans in a tortillas was much greater; leading to the claim that tortillas are one of the reasons for cultural and technological advancement. Even today, tortillas are eaten in Mexican households almost everyday. They are sustainable, delicious, and inexpensive, making them an extremely reliable food and carbohydrate source for many. The creation of these are monumental, for some, these are as necessary as water to keep surviving, for others, it is a special treat that can be enjoyed plain, with a protein source, or even with butter and salt. 

Originally tortillas were always hand made with dehydrated corn which was hand picked by the families making the tortillas. Since corn is very abundant in Mexico, there is accessible corn everywhere and thus it is easy to harvest. Moreover, since large-scale immigration from Mexico into the United States in the 1900’s, corn is not readily accessible everywhere and thus the making of corn tortillas has become an industrialized process; leaving tortillas to taste, feel, and look different. There are scholars that claim that the corn tortillas were revolutionary, that the simple, yet complex round-corn flour and water mixture was what allowed the Mayan society and the Aztec Empire to grow to the size they did; the ability to transport meals easily to wherever they needed to go.

Connection to the Gods

Food connects us to our ancestors; it is physical, cultural, and edible history that is passed down through generations and is necessary to keep one’s lineage alive. Our ancestors were able to create these dishes based on the ingredients which were present in their immediate vicinity. The thoughts and emotions that were present when the dishes were first created are still present within the dish and evoke an emotional and psychological reaction when we are brought face-to-face with the dishes of our ancestry. Not only were ingredients chosen out of sheer volume and abundance, they were also chosen based on the cultural, emotional, and religious impact which they had on individuals. The Mayans, who many scholars agree were the first to create tortillas, viewed corn as special. To them, it was a supernatural item, which was to be treated with respect, love, and to be praised. The Mayans believed in Hun Hunahpu, which is their Maize God. As scholar Bridget Cornog eloquently writes “The Mayan people pray to One Hunahpu for a good crop but also a good life. Because to the Mayan people, corn isn’t just a crop. It is who they are…” (1). They treasured this crop, it was literally their life-source, who they were, and what they believed in. It only makes sense that this advanced society would turn to corn to create an item which would go on to revolutionize societies as a whole. The act of eating one’s cultural dishes is so powerful not only through a cultural lens, but through a physical lens as well (Colás 1). Consuming the same items our ancestors did allows us to experience how they lived in the world during their lifetime, it is crucial for this to occur because it keeps them alive through us, not allowing them and their memories to be forgotten.

Connection to Culture

One’s body is adapted to eating the food we regularly consume. Everyone has taste preferences and have adapted to enjoy different foods that are impressionable on our taste buds. Since our ancestors had to rely on food that was always readily available, they had to make sure the food items of their choice were resilient, plentiful, and versatile (Colás 6). Corn tortillas aren’t just food, they are culture, they are Mexican history engulfed within every crushed up kernel of corn that it takes to make up one tortilla. Every grain of corn flour, every drop of water, every salt crystal, and every drop of lime used to nixtamalize corn flour is merged with the history of the people who created and harvested every ingredient. History is ever-present, it can NEVER be erased; and through items, cultural dishes, and even stories we are able to relive that very same history which is present within us. In Figure A (shown below), we see that the original corn tortilla looks drastically different from the ones which we purchase at the grocery store. Organic corn tortillas are made from scratch, from crushed dried corn kernels, mixed with water to form a dough. This tortilla contains a deep yellow, blue, or red color, unlike the bland white processed tortilla in stores today. In Mexican households, tortillas are often wrapped in a towel to maintain their warmth and freshness.

The Mayans and Aztecs were both religious groups, being known to sacrifice human lives to their gods, it was viewed as an honor to be sacrificed in these civilizations. Given this, it must be noted that this was their social norm, which is quite different from the one we have today. These societies also possessed a corn deity, to the Mayans Hun Hunahpu was the god of corn, which is what humans were made out of (Taube 58). To the Aztec, the goddess of young maize, Xilonen and God which gave them maize, Quetzalcoatl; they believed that human life is directly related to corn and its birth / discovery (Fussell 16). Our ancestors believed that corn is sacred, that it should not be exploited, instead, that it should be cared for, sowed, consumed, and worshiped. On the other hand, corn grew everywhere, it was present in the North, the South, the West, etc., its accessibility and its ability to grow year-round made this crop the most important agricultural item in the Americas (Morton 5). 

During pre-colonial times in the Americas, the indigenous people of Mexico (Mayans, Aztecs, Olmecs, etc.) had their own established language and referred to corn differently than the Spaniards which would come and change the language of the people there. The Aztecs spoke Nahuatl, it was their original language and as scholar P.E. Morton writes “In the Valley of Mexico the people called corn by its Nahuatl name tlaolli and changed labels to distinguish each stage of the plant’s development. The tender and undeveloped ear was xilo; as it formed kernels, elotl; and the dried ear, centli”  (5). The history of corn is documented, it has been studied. The Aztecs gave different names to the different stages of this crop and the Spanish would go on to change that. The importance of corn was colonized, it was harvested and made to produce numerous amounts of corn to sustain large amounts of people. There is, however, an idea that corn colonized us. That its ability to grow everywhere, grow in harsh conditions, and its ability to be eaten demonstrates that it demanded to be eaten and so that is what humans did. This gives individuals a different perspective as opposed to the traditional human-dominated ideology that we colonized crops and they did not colonize us; causing a sort of paradox in one’s own mind by demonstrating that we are not in control of everything.

Forming Tortillas and their Nutrients

Tortillas were created, they were hand-made for hundreds of years, leading to its perfection. Corn was dried, grinded into a grainy powder because of pre-industrialization technology, and was then mixed with water in order to make a dough. There was a process when it came to making tortillas, “The Aztec woman molded the ball of grainy dough in her hands and called it textli; the Maya called the dough yokem. The Spanish renamed it masa” (Morton 8). The Aztec and Mayan women created these tortillas, the original ones that would go on to be offered to the gods. The process of making tortillas is tedious, the dough is rolled up to 3 times until the desired shape is created and after the dough is pressed or rolled to the desired thickness (Morton 8). This process can take up to hours if the person is not experienced, it is extremely difficult labor and can even affect an individual's phalanges, leading to inflammation of the Ulnar Nerve. Often, individuals who have been making tortillas by hand since they were children–assuming they are now in their mid 40’s–have carpal tunnel syndrome because of the intense amount of continuous finger movement this encompasses. Many Mexican children have grown up seeing their parents (especially their mothers due to gender roles and expectation in Mexican culture) with medication to treat this illness. It is important to recognize this and understand that though tortillas were revolutionary, they do have an impact on those who make them and the commercialization of them has affected the world and crop as a whole. 

Tortillas were created for individuals of a higher socioeconomic status and the gods, and they would go on to be spread to farmers and everyday citizens because of convenience and ease. As depicted above in Figure B, there are various nutritional benefits associated with tortillas. SDF which is Soluble Dietary Fiber is very high in tortillas. These small snacks are also high in antioxidants, other types of fiber, etc. The corn tortilla is grand in many ways, not only does it provide on-the-go meals, it also contains plenty of nutrients that we often neglect in our daily meals. Though this information was not known during the times of the Aztecs, Mayans, or Olmecs, it was agreed upon by these ancient societies that tortillas represented a “bond between human and divine” (Morton 14). There may have been an intuitive feeling to these societies that tortillas were incredible, as science and technology advanced, it was proven.

Commercialization of Tortillas

The corn tortilla has adapted over time, it changed from being a food for the elites to becoming a food for everyone. In recent years, large-scale immigration from Mexico into the U.S. has caused the tortilla making process to become commercialized. The process of making tortillas went from making them by hand to making them through a machine and industrialized process. Large scale tortilla production was necessary for the newly-arriving immigrants. Companies knew this and created a product, however, this product lacks many of the nutrients that regular home-made tortillas possess. Although there is a lack of nutrients, the convenience of being able to purchase tortillas for a very affordable price is pleasant. Tortillas were intended to be convenient foods, they were intended to be eaten while individuals were hunting or on-the-go, being folded over a source of protein (Morton 15). Tortillas being industrialized are always this to be even more the case; now individuals do not have to worry about someone preparing tortillas for them at home or if it is the season for corn. Since corn is grown everywhere, it is imported into the U.S. and is always available, allowing tortillas to always be available for the lunch of millions of Mexican immigrants and individuals.

Large-scale immigration not only brought tortillas into the U.S., it brought them into different parts of the world. The places range from the countries of South America to the Iberian Peninsula, to other countries in Europe. The tortillas that were brought into these countries are the commercialized ones, as depicted in Figure B, commercial tortillas are less nutrient dense as organic tortillas. The average serving size of tortillas is 47 grams, which equates to 2 tortillas. A handmade tortilla averages a weight of 32 grams, meaning that an individual tortilla not only is more dense, leaving consumers full for a longer period of time, but it also contains more calcium than those commercially available; a necessary nutrient that humans need to ensure strong bones, teeth, healthy muscle contraction, etc. The tortilla comprises different elements, since it is widely available, it is inexpensive, it is a liked food, it is versatile, and it is part of tradition. It allows individuals who are of Mexican heritage and live in foreign places to connect to their culture, to experience it, to live in it, and most importantly, to enjoy, embrace, and appreciate it (Sanchez). When these individuals do this, their peers and colleagues may be interested in learning about their culture, thus further spreading it to them and allowing them to engage in their history as well.

This new generation of individuals are constantly seeking to explore different cultures, to get rid of the ideologies of older generations. They are straying from the Western Eurocentric viewpoints of their parents and grandparents, seeking to understand other cultures and open their ideologies to those of individuals with different cultural backgrounds and beliefs from them. This is beneficial, not only to society as it allows equity amongst all individuals regardless of their beliefs, race, ideologies, etc., but also allows different cultures to connect, creating a unique perspective on different world topics that need to be addressed such as homelessness, food inequality / deserts, sustainability, global warming, etc. Further demonstrating the openness of this generation, author L. P. Sánchez-Vega writes “An aspect opposed to traditionality is “Convenience”, that includes the category Availability and Practicality, that were related to the North and older people. About that, Henseleit et al. (2007) said that younger people look for more accessible and tasty foods, while older people keep a tighter bond where Convenience is linked to their place of origin; since in the North there is a significant emigrated population from different parts of the country who keep tortillas as a link to their place of origin.” There is a difference in the mindsets of individuals in different age brackets, older generations look for what is easy and what is able to be consumed rapidly without having to stress or worry about the preparation. The younger generation on the other hand looks for what is culturally correct and what will provide the best taste and authenticity. The older generation that immigrated to the United States and other parts of the world are looking to purchase commercialized tortillas because it is convenient, easy, and provides what they are accustomed to from their home country. The younger generation on the other hand seeks to understand the dish and its history and then seeks to accurately represent it in their meal; consuming it in the same manner its creators consumed it generations ago. Immigration can cause a disconnect from one’s original country, leading individuals to stray away from their cultural habits, practices, rituals, etc. It is crucial to connect and even reconnect with one’s culture and that is what the new generation is doing. They are attempting to go back to their roots, while being in a new place–creating interconnected links to their country and culture of origin.

Conclusion

Countries across the world have a common carbohydrate-based food that is eaten with almost every meal. This food can range from rice, pasta, potatoes, crackers, bread, etc. and it is often paired with various proteins, lentils, dairy products or sauces. In Mexico, this food choice is the corn tortilla, it is created with dried maize (corn kernels that are dried and made into a flour). This is then mixed with lime and salt (nixtamalization) and then water is added to make a dough, which the tortillas are made from. This simple invention was revolutionary in Mexico and would go on to change the lives of many who seek to learn more about its history and roots. The Mayans, Aztecs, and Olmecs who are credited with creating it did so as an offering to their gods, they believe that corn is THE most important crop as it is where humans came from. Corn is their life and this belief has subconsciously survived for generations – leading to the consumption of corn tortillas in almost every meal. As Mexican individuals immigrated to different parts of the world, tortillas followed them, but they became industrialized – bringing about the decline of nutrients in these flat-corn products. Ideologies change over time and as the younger generations seek to understand culture and food more, the original way of making tortillas will come back. The future of tortillas and cultural dishes / products worldwide will be treated with respect and will be given the attention they deserve; appreciating the adversities the ancestors of many had to surpass.

Sources

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