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

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.