"It is not joy that makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us joyful." - David Steindl-Rast:
Almost every goddess research I do, I find the word “fertility” and my heart feels the knock. Of course. If I look at images that come up, the goddesses are, for the most part, seductive, voluptuous Wonder Woman looking comic-book images. In our society, Goddesses have been sexualized and even the word “fertility” sets my teeth on edge because of this. It is not new to sexualize the ancient Goddesses. It was further promoted by Patriarchy of Greece that tried to seclude and keep women in the home; the goddesses that had been worshipped since the beginning of time, were all shown as having values and virtues according to Patriarchal views. This was manipulation right from ancient times on down. We still see it today in the portrayal of Goddesses. It sickens me. “Fertility” has to do with fecundity, the ability to create (from child to any of the arts) in Mother Nature’s ability to give birth to, to give birth to ideas and imagination, etc. not just a pleasure toy or destroyer as still portrayed today.
Ixcocoa was an ancient Mesoamerican Earth Goddess who
was the Goddess of feeding everyone and Goddess of Chocolate. So, not only did she portray women as the
feeders, she, also, was Goddess of desserts.
Long have we been conditioned to think chocolate was an aphrodisiac, as
of colonization of Mexico by the Europeans.
She was more an agricultural deity.
She was invoked when crops were poor and the people were hungry. A prayer quoted from an old Mayan legend to
promote a good harvest in times of hunger goes:
Ixcanil, Goddess of Seed, hear me.
Ixtoq, Goddess of Rain, help me.
Ixcacao, Goddess of Chocolate, see my tears and come to my aid.
“Ix” implies feminine and, of course, “cacao” is an ancient word for chocolate. In those times, women were in charge of agriculture and it was a time of Matriarchal societies. It was seen as a divine responsibility to feed, to keep safe, and to keep secure the home and food for that home and family. When the Europeans came, they changed the idea of woman as nurturer and caretaker to women as servants to men. Cocoa Beans became money and chocolate became not just food for the gods, but food for men to seduce women.
About this time, the Goddess Ixcacao, knew she had to do something about her people starving. She had been in service of Mother Earth and had not been out in her fields and with her people as she had been too busy elsewhere. She missed it all and when she returned, her heart was broken at human sacrifice and that the sun had drunk up all the waters of her land and that the plants and animals were dying on the land. There was a stairway up to where the people thought they went when they died. It was said that she stood at the stairs and offered them drink of chocolate to give them one last great pleasure before they completed their ascension.
After she had become known as the one in charge of agriculture, men decided that it was beneath them to do any agricultural work and all agricultural jobs were given as responsibility for the women.
There was another goddess who was the Goddess of Love ( again not sexual but Mother-type of love) who saw that the people were no longer singing or dancing or laughing since they were starving and dying of thirst. She went to Ixcacao and said they should work together to teach the Kings of the land how to maker chocolate drinks and they are the ones who suggested that the cocoa was an aphrodisiac. Montezuma was an ancient Mesoamerican King and he fell for this idea big time and said only the Kings could drink the cocoa. He had a huge harem and he constantly drank cocoa. The Goddesses saw what was happening, Mother Earth rumbled, the people were all sent into the cocoa trees to cultivate, grow and harvest the beans and everyone and everything suffered. There were wars over cacao. The mighty kingdom fell.
Ixcacao began reminding her people returned to remind the people that they could not continue to be under the control of the masters. The Goddess of Love festooned Ixcacao with beautiful flowers and helped her return to her people and cause the fields to recover and feed her people. Corn fields thrived. The goddesses ruled with the Goddess of Love of plants, animals, and, of course, her people thrived. There was no more work without dance and music. There was no more work without rest. There was no more work without time for self, family and friends. The work was love-centered and a woman’s role changed drastically. From then on, there has been a special day for feasting and celebrations in her honor. Love-based work refuses greed. Love-based work leavers time for love of self and a woman having time to find joy and also time for self. She encourages women to want inner peace and contentment and honor for the work she does out of love.
Take back the honor of a woman’s role as nurturer. Avoid the sexualization of the goddesses, of yourself. We are way more than handmaidens in our relationships. It is a high honor to grow, gather, and feed our families. Expect honor. Develop the honor of feeding others as a work of love in our daughters. Remember Ixcacao when you feel put out, put upon, put to bed. She will help you develop love for your service.
©Carol Desjarlais 10.15.21
Interesting read https://armstronghistoryjournal.wordpress.com/2017/11/16/containing-the-kalon-kakon-the-portrayal-of-women-in-ancient-greek-mythology/
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