Origins of the Mexican Tamale (tamal)

Origins of the Mexican Tamale
 

The origins of the tamale can be traced to the Nahuatl word tamalii, meaning “wrapped food.” While no one knows exactly who invented the tamale or when it was first made, historians believe that its roots stretch back as far as 3000 B.C. in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico. There, early agricultural societies began hybridizing wild grasses to create maize—what we now know as corn. As corn grew in importance, becoming both a sacred crop and a dietary staple across Mesoamerican civilizations, it served as the foundation for what would become the tamale.

By the 16th century, the tamale was already a well-established part of the Aztec diet. When Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in what is now Mexico, he encountered a thriving culture in which tamales played an essential role in both daily life and ceremonial events. Mexican tamales were made in countless variations, filled with meats, beans, vegetables, or chilies, and wrapped in corn husks before being steamed to perfection.

Franciscan friar Bernardino de Sahagún, a chronicler of Aztec life and culture, documented tamales in his monumental 12-volume work, Historia General de las Cosas de Nueva España (“General History of the Things in New Spain”). His writings offer one of the earliest detailed accounts of the Mexican tamale and its significance within the Aztec empire.

Today, the tamale continues to be a beloved and iconic symbol of Mexican cuisine. From its ancient origins to its modern-day presence at family gatherings and holidays, the Mexican tamale endures as a delicious link to the past.