Theobroma Cacao

L.

Cacao (E,S); Cacau (Ch); Chocolate (E,Ch); Sia (Cu); Zukurate (Ch) . Cacao originated in Central and South American rain forests, but is now grown throughout the humid tropics. The seeds have served to make beverages for ages among the Indians of Panama and elsewhere. The pulp around the seeds is edible like that of most of the wild species found in Panama. Also, the pulp is used for alcoholic beverages and vinegar. Several other plants are often used to flavor the beverage, e.g., the flowers of Quararibea. The seeds were first brought to the attention of Europeans shortly before 1525, when the Spanish invaders of America reported that they were used as money in the New World, although they were not used by the natives for making chocolate. The dried seeds are roasted and ground to form cocoa. chocolate is prepared by grinding even finer, flavoring with something like vanilla, and moulding into shape while hot. The Cuna have a great variety of beverages based on chocolate, and probably consume more cacao than other ethnic groups. Among these are chucula, which is made of corn meal, ripe plantain, and ground cacao , and cuatirre, which is made of rice flour and cocoa. Ochi, a chocolate and cornmeal beverage, is a frequent breakfast beverage. CAcao butter, extracted by compressing the heated seeds, is used for pessaries and suppositories, and for treating burns. Mourning San Blas widows often burn cacao beans over the grave of the deceased (!). In female puberty rites, burning beans are placed on the floor for the participant to inhale the smoke. Pregnant San Blas Indians take decoctions of treen cacao pulp in the belief that it facilitates parturition. Young leaves are applied to wounds as an antiseptic and the flowers are used by the Ailigandi Cuna to treat screwworm of the eye.