CULTURE
Tamales, Culture, and Why I keep My Medium Responses Hidden
And Why I Am Choosing Not to Meter This Story
Tamales, a mixture of masa (or corn dough) and a filling wrapped in a maize (corn) husk, are a gift to humanity. The word tamale comes from “tamalli” in Náhuatl and originates from the Uto-Aztecan language family. The Aztec region ranged from parts of North America to parts of South America.
The Aztec religion is polytheistic. One of the many Aztec gods was Tlalaoc, the rain god. Tlaloc was responsible for agriculture and fertility and provided necessary rain for harvests. Tamales were believed to be sacred and seen as a food good enough to be offered to the gods.
In the Cardenas family tradition, tamales are a pork and beef combination and have a black olive nestled in each one. The inclusion of each olive in a differing location means the olive is a “surprise”. The olives break up the flavor and texture landscape and alter the experience, providing an imaginative template with which to base other forms of creativity — like writing.
Speaking of surprises, it may surprise you to know that I’m uncharacteristically coming to a point. Surprises are the point.
When I write a comment, it’s always with the hope that the person or people who read it will smile, laugh, or generally find it interesting. I live for the idea of readers mirthfully smiling when they read my comments or grimacing with a slight mix of bemusement and disgust. I keep my comments hidden because I want it to be a surprise where and when I pop up. This is a great way to interact with others on Medium.
I’ve written nearly ten times the volume of comments as I have actual Medium pieces of my own at this point. When I write them, I try to signal to the writer that I have read their work and that I am attempting to interact with it in a meaningful, different, and interesting way. These comments are my black olives.
Surprises are good because we aren’t expecting them, and surprises inspire us to consider new ways of thinking, doing and being.
As is the case with every family name and lineage that has had the luck to make it to the 21st century, the Cardenas family has multiplied and changed with the world. This particular Cardenas has benefitted from their hard work and luck. I don’t solely rely on writing as a source of income, so I choose to post for all to see. Not everything is about money. It’s my pleasure to be here with you.
I’ll avoid the war between those who favor tamale vs tamal. In my family, these terms are used interchangeably. This is likely due to Mexican-American influences. I don’t know the reason for certain, I mostly just eat them.
David Bowles does a much better job of explaining the linguistic underpinnings of this war and also provides a great runway for some delicious water fly tamales. Yum!
My grandma Virginia was a beautiful, caring woman. She was also a great orator. Our time together was far too short, but I have strong memories of her storytelling abilities and she lived for family stories such as these. After not seeing her for many years, her first response was “our family is complete”. Thanks for letting me stand tall on your shoulders, grandma. And thanks to Tlaloc for making it rain near my tear ducts.
