Meeting Ixquik Lopez Zavala, the Maker of La Noche Cacao

On February 25, 2023, we had a virtual meet-and-greet with Ixquik Lopez Zavala, the leader of the Utz K'aslemal cacao collective.

Utz K'aslemal – which roughly translates to "Good living in a useful existence" – is the trade name of a family from Sololá, just north of Lake Atitlán in the western Highlands of Guatemala.

Led by Ixquik (pronounced "Eesh-keek") Lopez Zavala and her mother Rosalía, the family has given Soul Lift Cacao the great honor of being the sole U.S. distributor of their cacao.

We sell it as La Noche ceremonial cacao, available in blocks and pre-ground bags here.

The name refers to the dark, roasty flavor, and an energy that's reminiscent of the night. The family uses the cacao in their ceremonies along with sacred fire and tobacco in their ceremonies for divination and healing.

And Ixquik is a different kind of community leader, helping to organize cacao farmers in the Alta Verapaz and Quiché regions of Guatemala so that they can stand up to the "coyotes." These are bullies who try to pressure the family farms to sell their cacao at an unfairly low price.

By buying La Noche cacao, you're directly supporting this movement to empower family farms!

We also have a fundraiser going to gather important materials for Ixquik's family. If you are able to donate or share the link, anything is appreciated.

Finally, we visit Ixquik's family for a ceremony with fire, cacao, and tobacco on our Guatemalan cacao tours. Our March tour just sold out. You can learn about our upcoming tours and apply here.

NOW ENJOY THE VIDEO RECORDING!

p.s. - If you share the video or quote part(s) of it, please credit Ixquik and/or Soul Lift Cacao.