Originally published at Dope Magazine
BY SHWA LAYTART - NOVEMBER 7, 2018
We have some serious theater going down in his/herstory right now. So, let’s dig into our archaeological cookbook for one of our all-time favorite theater snacks: “The Salted Pearls,” otherwise known as … popcorn! It was a goddess who first introduced the U.S.A. to popcorn’s snack-ability. A Mexican goddess, in fact.
The way the story goes, as I’ve been told: The Mexican–American War, also known as the Invasion of Mexico, was an armed conflict between the United States of America and the United Mexican States that lasted from 1846 to 1848. It followed in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas, which Mexico considered part of its territory, despite the 1836 Texas Revolution.
The story begins earlier, in 1827, and this ain’t no picnic. European immigrants were spreading over the majestic land as gracefully as common long pork.
Land-grabbing was at an all-time high, and the native peoples that lived here long before European immigrants weren’t all that cool with how things were turning out.
In Mexico, the predominantly Spanish-descended government wanted to populate their mostly unsettled wilderness with Europeans even faster, but didn’t have the population to do so. Their answer? Americans. Mexico was like, “Hey, come hang out, we’re cool. Check out the sunsets …” Basically, the Mexican government invited Americans to come and live in Mexico. And when enough Americans did, some of those Americans said they wanted to live with other Americans … but didn’t want to move out of Mexico. So, they created a war to take the land that Mexico was letting them live on. That’s how the war started: Americans fighting Mexicans who invited them to usurp Native Peoples.
Now, I don’t get too caught up in miracles, but I sure do like it when I can’t explain something, and this is one of those stories that’s hard to believe. Life wasn’t looking good for anyone fighting this war — much like every war ever fought — but survival in the Southwest was no walk down Main Street. It was hot. Desolate. With rattlesnakes and scorpions.
“Some say she was an Aztec goddess that lived long before this war, and would continue to live long after. Some said she was an Olmec goddess, or originally an Anunnaki goddess sent from the stars.”
Both sides hit a point when everyone was about to die. Death was sitting on the fence with a pack of vultures waiting to pick the bones of those left behind. Neither death nor the vultures cared about their color, religion or country of origin. They just cared that you were dead, or close enough for the picking.
But before this could happen, the goddess they called Chicomecoatl appeared. Some say she was an Aztec goddess that lived long before this war, and would continue to live long after. Some said she was an Olmec goddess, or originally an Anunnaki goddess sent from the stars.
Whoever Chicomecoatl was, she fed the starving soldiers from both sides. She did this by roasting, or popping, the main fiber of the land: corn. She would appear with braids of corn as if they were locks of hair, and the sun would shine behind her like sunflowers constantly blooming. Her presence alone would feed the souls of the dying soldiers. Her popped corn would feed their starving bellies. When she was done feeding those in need, she would mount her palomino horse and, as the story goes, “ride off into the sunset” and disappear.
So, when watching the theater that is our current reality play out, let’s not forget Chicomecoatl, the Mexican goddess that kept the soldiers of our Western ancestors alive.
Soldier’s Popcorn Blend
In a mixing bowl, integrate the following:
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp of melted homemade cannabis infused butter/oil 2 tbsp of butter, coconut oil or olive oil (or any combination) ⅓cup shredded or powdered parmesan cheese 1 pinch of salt, onion powder, garlic powder to taste *Optional – 1 pinch of white pepper, cayenne, black pepper or dash of hot sauce
DIRECTIONS:
1. Transfer mixed ingredients into a saucepan and heat up on medium-low heat. 2. Pop your popcorn on the stovetop, in a microwave or with your air-popper, then place in large bowl. 3. Drizzle over popcorn and mix with hands until popcorn is coated to your desire.
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