Ilustration by Valeria Avilés
The bright orange pumpkins popular across USA for family Halloween decoration is a kind of squash.
Several squash were native to the Maya, Teotihuacan and Aztec areas of Mesoamerica (Central Mexico down to Costa Rica). But the pumpkin of today is descended from what grew thousands of years ago across what eventually became the USA.
In Guatemala we study lots of sizes, shapes, and colors of squash which are native to Mexico and Guatemala. But the traditional Halloween squash is the large and orange (and tastes yummy in pie or soup).
Here in Guatemala I love pepitorio, the seeds of one variety of native squash which is grown near Sayaxche, Peten (and other places in Guatemala). Roast & toast on a skillet for a few seconds, and great taste and very healthy also.
We usually don't dress for halloween but this year we decided to use Tim Burton's movies as inspiration for our costumes.
Posted October 31, 2017
