Jicara: pre-Hispanic vessel for chocolate, tejate and waters

What is it?

The jicara is a vegetable vessel made from the fruit of the jicaro or calabash tree (Crescentia cujete and Crescentia alata), used since pre-Hispanic times in Mesoamerica to serve hot chocolate, tejate, pozol, atoles, fresh waters and ceremonial drinks. The fruit is hollowed out, dried, decorated with incisions or paintings and becomes a light, durable and ideal vessel for drinks. The jicara is an iconic element of the cuisine and culture of southeastern Mexico, especially Oaxaca, Tabasco, Chiapas, Veracruz and Guerrero. The famous Olinala jicara, in Guerrero, is decorated with traditional lacquer technique and is considered representative Mexican craftsmanship. More than a simple vessel, the jicara is a cultural object charged with symbolism and tradition.

Origin and history

The jicara appears in the Mesoamerican archaeological record from pre-Hispanic times. Codices such as the Borgia and the Mendocino represent it as a ceremonial and everyday vessel. Fray Bernardino de Sahagun in the 16th century describes how the Mexica served cacao (xocolatl) in decorated jicaras, a custom that was maintained among the nobility and the pochtecas (merchants). The name comes from the Nahuatl xicalli, which passed into Spanish as jicara. In the Mayan region it had a similar function under names such as luch (Yucatec). After the conquest, the Spanish adopted jicaras for hot chocolate, a custom they took to Europe where it remained for centuries. INAH and FONART (National Fund for the Promotion of Crafts) document the Olinala jicara (Guerrero) as recognised Cultural Heritage, with artisanal production that applies natural lacquer pigmented with techniques of 'rayado' and 'dorado' unique in the world. Oaxaca, Tabasco and Chiapas also maintain their own jicara-making traditions.

Characteristic ingredients

The jicara is obtained from the ripe fruit of the jicaro tree (Crescentia cujete, criollo calabash, or Crescentia alata, jicaro chico). The fruit, of spherical or elongated shape, is cut from the branch, split in half, emptied of pulp and seeds and left to dry in the sun for weeks until the shell hardens. Once dry, it is sanded to smooth the interior and decorated according to regional tradition: Olinala jicaras feature aje lacquer (cochineal insect) pigmented with minerals and scratched with huizache thorn; Oaxacan jicaras are painted with natural colours or left natural; Chiapas and Tabasco jicaras are usually undecorated and used in everyday cooking. Sizes vary from small (10 cm, for individual chocolate) to large (30 to 40 cm, for serving tejate or chia water). In Mayan and Zoque ceremonial cooking, large jicaras are used to whisk and serve communal drinks. Their capacity to keep drinks fresh or warm and their lightness make them ideal for extended service.

Cultural significance

The jicara is a deep cultural object in Mexico with culinary, artisanal and ceremonial value. In Oaxaca, tejate (a pre-Hispanic drink of cacao, maize, mamey and rosita de cacao) is traditionally served in large decorated jicaras, forming part of religious festivities and markets. In Tabasco and Chiapas, pozol (fermented maize atole) is drunk in jicara, a daily ritual of the Chontal and Zoque peoples. The Olinala jicara, in Guerrero, is recognised as heritage craftsmanship: master lacquerers apply the technique of flattening and scratching on pieces that are exhibited in museums around the world (Smithsonian, Louvre, National Museum of Anthropology). Traditional Mexican cuisine, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2010, integrates the jicara as a symbolic utensil. On Day of the Dead altars, jicaras full of chocolate or water accompany the souls. At Mayan and Zapotec weddings, decorated jicaras are exchanged as a symbolic gift of union.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between jicara and jicaro?

The jicaro is the tree (Crescentia cujete or C. alata), native to tropical regions of Mexico and Central America. The jicara is the vessel obtained from its ripe fruit, hollowed out and dried. The tree gives fruits with a round or oblong hard shell; these fruits, divided in half and processed, become jicaras. The term jicara is also applied to similar cups made from squash.

What does a drink served in jicara taste like?

The jicara does not alter the flavour of the contents, but new jicaras may provide a subtle vegetable aroma to the first drink served. Continuously used jicaras absorb aromas (chocolate, cacao, atole) and become more fragrant over time. The temperature is well preserved: hot drinks stay hot and cold drinks stay cool for longer than in ceramic.

How is a new jicara cured?

It is rinsed with water and left to dry. Some traditions coat it with lard or oil to waterproof it further, rubbing it and leaving it in the sun. The lacquered Olinala jicara does not require additional curing. After each use, it is rinsed without abrasive soap and air-dried. It should never be washed with detergents or left submerged for a long time, which would damage the shell.

Where does the jicara come from?

The jicara is originally from Mesoamerica, with documented use since pre-Hispanic times among the Nahua, Mayan, Mixtec, Zapotec, Zoque and Chontal peoples. Today the main producing regions are Olinala (Guerrero, with its famous traditional lacquer), Oaxaca, Tabasco, Chiapas and Veracruz. The jicaro tree grows in tropical and subtropical climates of Mexico and Central America.