To produce and sow chancacas: The arrival of sugar cane in the Huasteca región

Karina Paulín Trejo

SCT Proceedings in Interdisciplinary Insights and Innovations, 2024, vol. 2, 10.56294/piii2024.146

Abstract: The study analyzed the role of indigenous peoples in the production and trade of piloncillo in the Huasteca region during the 17th and 18th centuries. It examined the introduction of sugar cane in the region after the Spanish conquest and its economic and social implications. Sugar cane, brought by Hernán Cortés in 1522, expanded rapidly due to its profitability and demand in the European and New Spain markets. The research showed that the indigenous people adopted the crop not only because it was imposed on them, but also because of its cultural significance. The encomenderos encouraged its cultivation for self-consumption and later for commercialization. Sugar cane became a key element in the local economy, and its production diversified into white sugar for elites and piloncillo for popular consumption. Colonial documents revealed that the indigenous people managed to obtain licenses to plant sugar cane and operate mills, integrating themselves into the regional market. In addition, piloncillo acquired value as a bargaining chip, facilitating the payment of taxes and debts. By the end of the 17th century, the Huastec had consolidated their presence in the production of piloncillo, partially displacing the Spanish. The article concluded that the adoption of sugar cane transcended the economic, influencing diet, trade and indigenous cultural identity, generating a significant socio-productive transformation in colonial Huasteca.

Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dbk:procee:v:2:y:2024:i::p:1056294piii2024146:id:1056294piii2024146

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in SCT Proceedings in Interdisciplinary Insights and Innovations from AG Editor (Argentina)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Javier Gonzalez-Argote ().