Raramuri Chia (Salvia tiliifolia)

Tarahumara Sage - Raramuri Chia (Salvia tiliifolia): Although it takes its name from the "Running People," this species is found from Southern California to all of Central America. It is a quelite, a wild edible herb used, in this case, both for cooking and for phytotherapeutic purposes. The plant is entirely edible; the seeds are consumed as a beverage ( Iskiate ), the leaves are used to flavor dishes, while the root is used medicinally. Even the small, beautiful blue flowers can be used in dishes and not just as a garnish; they also impart a very interesting balsamic scent.
It requires full sun exposure, with irrigation only in the early stages of plant emergence and in case of prolonged droughts.
This quelite should also not be grown except for botanical interest or research. In Chia Raramuri, you will not find exceptional flavors, but an ancient plant that speaks to you of cultures far away in space but which you will recognize as close at first taste.

HISTORICAL ORIGINS: The chia is native to Mesoamerica and several species have been cultivated since at least 3400 BC. Wild varieties (such as the chia Raramuri from the S. filifolia file) were harvested centuries earlier. It is believed that the best-known species, Salvia hispanica, was first used as a food in 3500 BC and that it was cultivated in the Valley of Mexico between 2600 and 2000 BC. Chia was a very important crop for the Aztecs and was widely used in their civilization. Salvia tiliaefolia is collected in the wild by the Tarahumara. CULINARY USES: In Aztec times, roasted chia seeds were mixed with amaranth seeds, corn flour and agave syrup to create a dough called tzoalli in the  Nahuatl language, which was consumed daily and during ceremonies, and is still consumed today. Chia seeds were also roasted and ground in flour, and used as the basis for a drink known as chianatolli. Today the Tarahumara consume chia seeds in a drink called fresh chia, composed of roasted and ground seeds and water. When chia seeds are moistened, the fibers contained in them create a high viscosity mucilage. This viscous texture may be unpleasant for some, but it allows the seeds to swell, creating a sense of satiety and controlling hunger. NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS: The word "chia" means "strength" in the Mayan language and these seeds have long been consumed as an energy food. Not surprisingly, these small seeds contain high amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids, as well as iron, calcium and antioxidants. The energy provided by chia seed fibers is slowly released into the body, as a reaction occurs between the chia seeds and the liquids in the stomach, which slows down the process by which digestive enzymes break down carbohydrates and turn them into sugars. The Tarahumara attribute their extraordinary ability to run marathons to the consumption of chia seeds. MEDICINAL USES: The Florentine Code, written between 1548 and 1579, describes the medicinal use of chia by the Aztecs. He states that the ground chia root was used to treat dry cough or blood sputum. Chia oil, extracted from the seeds, was used to remove foreign bodies from the eye. Chia seed soup was also used as a base for herbal infusions. Today, the Tarahumara collect 294 plant species for medicinal use, and chia is one of them. ARTISANAL USES: Chia seed oil was used by the Aztecs to improve the drying quality of paints and varnishes and is still used today by artisans in the areas of Chiapas, Guerro, Michoacán and Mexico City to protect their creations from atmospheric agents. SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPORTANCE: The chia was very important to the Aztecs, both from a ceremonial and economic point of view. The chia was believed to have been donated to the Aztecs by the goddess Chicomecoatl, creator of life, and was offered to her pyramid along with corn, beans, and amaranth. Chia seed oil was also commonly used as the basis for ceremonial body painting. Every year, as documented by the Mendoza Code, written between 1541 and 1542, the Aztec empire, in particular the city of Tenochtitlan, received thousands of tons of tribute from the surrounding peoples, in the form of chia, corn, beans and amaranth. Running is very important in Tarahumara society. The word the Tarahumara use to refer to themselves is I Rarámuri, which means “runners on foot” or “those who run fast.” As they traditionally lived in dispersed areas of the Sierra Madres of Mexico, for the Tarahumara the race developed as part of daily life, for the purposes of communication, transport and hunting. The Tarahumara also run ritualistically, during "foot throwing" or rarajipari ceremonies. Chia is an important source of energy for Tarahumara runners. CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES: The Tarahumara collect chia in the wild, while the Aztecs used an agricultural technique known as chinampas, which involved the construction of islands, known as "hanging gardens", in Lake Texcoco, Mexico. The hanging gardens consisted of woven mats with tree bark, covered with soil and held in place by willow roots. These gardens were home to corn, beans, amaranth, and chia. Chia produces small flowers that release the tiny seeds when they are dry. It can be difficult to collect seeds. It is useful to beat the dried plants on a sheet or in a bucket. If the seeds are ready, they will detach. Repeat the operation for several days as the seeds mature. BIBLIOGRAPHY:Amoni-Janssons, Marissa (2005). Chia Seedhead News: 91. Ayerza, Ricardo and Wayne Coates (2005). Chia: rediscover a forgotten culture of the Aztecs. Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona Press. McDougall, Christopher (2011) Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Ever Seen. New York, NY: Vintage Press. Credits: https://www.nativeseeds.org/pages/tarahumara-chia