Oaxaca Origins

Rooted in the Land

Look to the side of the road while you are touring around Puerto Escondido and you are likely to spot the colorful pods of the guaje trees. These trees are rooted in the history of Oaxaca and no one tells the story better than our local guide, Jesús Silva.

Oaxaca (wa-Ha-ka)

In the video, Jesús mentions the Nahuatl name the ancient Aztec’s had for the pods of this tree was Huãxyacac. According to Oaxaca Cultural Navigator, Norma Schafer, this naturally invasive tree was so prolific in the area that the early Spanish explorers named the entire region after it. Those same explorers found the traditional name a mouthful to pronounce so it became Oaxaca. Originally pronounced “wa-shaka,” the “s” sound was dropped over time to give us it’s current pronunciation “wa-Ha-ka”.

These tall standing trees with deep roots are ideally suited for warm climates and are commonly used as shade trees in the hills for coffee and cacao plants. Other functions include harvesting the pods for cattle feed, roasting the seeds for table snacks and seasoning for salsas and sauces.

The next time you see a guaje tree, perhaps you’ll take a few seconds to appreciate its significance to Oaxaca.