NATIVE SPIRIT -Vesión en Ingles-

 Autor: Iibarvo 

Chihuahua, Chih. 

 Several endemic plants of the Chihuahuan Desert, located along the border between Mexico and the United States—including Agave (maguey plants), Dasylirion (sotol plants), yucca (Yucca), mesquite (Prosopis), and others—were widely used as food sources by early inhabitants since pre-Hispanic times (Tunnell, 1988; Weir, 1980; Greer, 1965). This evidence has been corroborated by archaeological findings from various excavations, where residues of macrofossils, pollen, and fibers have been discovered in human coprolites, dating back to the Early Postglacial period (Tunnell, 1988; Brow, 1982; Derig, 1979; Weir, 1980). 

 

Imagen I: Desert in Aldama,Chih. Photo by Alan Martinez

Ethnographic documentation from multiple authors confirms the ancestral knowledge of subterranean stone ovens, also known as mezcal pits, stone ovens, or circular middens. Today, significant ruins with preserved vestiges support these theories and research. Notable sites include Musk Hog Canyon in Texas, Snaketown in Arizona, Frightful Cave in Coahuila, and Paquimé in Chihuahua. At the latter, ovens measuring up to two meters deep and four meters in circumference have been documented in the municipality of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua (Di Peso, 1974; Bryant, 1975). 

In the 19th century, European explorer Lumholtz documented the use of Dasylirion and Agave by the Rarámuri people for both food and fermented beverages. Similarly, Buckelew described how the Lipan Apaches roasted these plants for food and alcoholic drinks, earning them the name "Apaches Mezacaleros." Although the Apaches were recent immigrants to the desert region at the time, they quickly adopted techniques for utilizing native plants (Sonnichsen, 1958). 

 

Imagen II: Stone Oven in Madare, Chih, Photo by Israel Ibarvo

There is no definitive evidence pinpointing when indigenous peoples first discovered fermentation processes for beverages made from fruits, agave, Dasylirion, and other species. However, as previously mentioned, plants in the Chihuahuan Desert were already being cooked for food before their use in fermented drinks (Di Peso, 1974), suggesting parallel development. 

Additionally, 17th-century writings by Spanish missionaries in the highlands and colonies of the Sierra Tarahumara note that the most important indigenous beverage was tesgüino—a fermented drink made from fruits, cereals, grains, and regional plants (Pennington, 1969). One of the oldest records of agave-based fermented beverages dates to 1662 from the mountainous region of Chihuahua. This document states that the Rarámuri produced "wine" from agave roots, which they called mescales (Doc: 1957, 4th series, II, San Pablo Balleza).

 

Imagen III: Stone Oven and "Cabezas de Sotol" Photo by Israel Ibarvo 

 Due to limited contemporary literature and early explorers' lack of botanical expertise, it remains difficult to precisely identify the plant species and families used—whether Agavaceae (Agave) or Nolinaceae (Dasylirion). 

The origins of distillation in the Americas remain contentious. Some theories suggest it was introduced to Mexico via maritime routes (Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico) during the 16th century, while others propose it was already known, based on archaeological findings (research is ongoing). It is likely that in regions where mezcal (agave distillates) emerged during the colonial period, a fermented beverage of the same name already existed in pre-Columbian times. This, in turn, would have developed from knowledge of abundant wild plants used for food (Bruman, 1938).

 

Imagen IV: Chorreras, Chih. and Smoke Coming out of the Stone Oven Photo by Israel Ibarvo 

 Bruman noted that in 1938, one of his research areas was the Sierra Tarahumara—a remote region inhabited by Indigenous groups with minimal external influence—where knowledge of distillation was limited or nonexistent. The earliest known mention of the process comes from the field journal of Englishman Hardy (1825), who documented his travels through northwestern Chihuahua. In his writings, Hardy describes mezcal distillation: 

"The neighboring mountains abound with mezcal (Agave), from which a very strong liquor is made. Don Manuel owns only two small stills, which yield him a profit of $30 USD annually." 

He also details the production process, tools used, and some sensory observations.

 

Imagen V: Dasylirion on the rosd to Batopilas, Chih. 

 In the early 1900s, specifically the 1910s, the state of Texas, U.S., registered two patents related to the use of native Chihuahuan Desert plants. The first, granted in 1913 in El Paso, Texas (Patent No. 776311), outlines a method for producing alcohol from species such as Dasylirion wheeleri, Yucca sp., Agave lechuguilla, Cereus giganteus, and Echinocactus breovhomotus for economical fuel production. Patent holder Frank Thatcher claimed in his filing: "Up to now, these plants have not been used or processed in similar ways...", asserting the novelty of his method. 

 The second patent, filed in 1917 also in El Paso (Patent No. 160834) by the same inventor, protected the use of Dasylirion wheeleri and certain Yucca species for livestock feed, marketed as an alfalfa substitute. 

In contrast, Mexico did not establish formal protections for these resources until 2002, with the implementation of the "Denomination of Origin (D.O.) for sotol", a traditional distilled beverage made from various Dasylirion species (D. wheeleri, D. leiophyllum, D. cedrosanum, etc.). However, this legal protection only covered the states of "Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango", excluding border regions with deep-rooted traditions, such as Sonora.

 

Imagen VI: Quiote white Dasylirion flower in Yecora, Sonora 

 These historical contrasts reflect differing approaches to natural resource utilization: while the U.S. prioritized industrial exploitation through patents in the early 20th century, Mexico's legal protections came decades later, focusing on cultural "preservation" rather than alternative commercial applications—yet leaving traditional distilled beverages like lechuguilla (an agave-based spirit) unprotected.