Tamales

The history of tamales can be traced back to the importance of maize in Mesoamerican civilizations, with ancient legends stating that the first tamales were made from the flesh of a god. Tamales truly are a labor of love, but the benefits of this dish made it a staple in ancient civilizations: tamales were satiating, nutritious, and conveniently portable for hunters and soldiers to carry away from home (Womak). Modern tamales have not deviated much from their ancient form but, due to the time and labor- intensive process required to make them, tamales are now a delicacy typically reserved for special occasions. In her article published in the Los Angeles Times, author Natalia Molina reveals that tamales and her family’s traditions that surround them keep her family tethered to each other, to Mexico, and to their family in Nayarit. Affirming the importance of the tamalada, she shares “Our moms gather us here in this space every year because that tradition is paramount” (Molina). 

The holiday tamalada holds a similar magnitude in my family as well. When we traveled for the holidays, we would plan around our family gathering– the tamalada always took precedence over vacations. Having lost her own mother to chronic illness at a very young age, sharing memories of her childhood with me and my sister has not always been easy for our mom. At the annual tamalada  though, the elders would cheerfully reminisce and share stories of the tamale parties they had grown up going to at my great-grandma Nacha’s home so long ago. As mom and Laura recount, Grandma Nacha would gather in the kitchen with all the Tias, put a telenovela on the TV, make tamales, and gossip in Spanish so my mom, her siblings, and her cousins couldn’t understand. My mom never explained to us why it was so important to make tamales with the family, even when we groaned about being stuck inside all day, but I began to understand as I grew more observant through the years.