Festival de la Tortilla
The Nicoya Party (Territory) was annexed to Costa Rica on July 25, 1824. To commemorate the event many celebrations take place every July 25, especially in Guanacaste province.
Just 14 kilometers northeast of Nicoya (approximately a 20 minute drive) the rural community of Corralillo is located, where the inhabitants celebrate the Corn Tortilla Festival.
The event’s purpose is to strengthen the cultural roots and preserve the customs and traditions of the culinary Guanacastan identity. For centuries corn has been present in the Mesoamerican Region. It is one of the main products with commercial and religious meanings and remarkable health benefits. Two of the reasons why people live longer in the Nicoya Peninsula is the traditional healthy diet that includes all the benefits of corn, and the remarkable sense of community evident throughout the area.
The Corn Tortilla Festival is a colorful event, full of music and marimbas, folkloric bands and dances, typical dresses, traditional food and contests. It is organized by the CTP (Technical Professional College) of Corralillo, along with the support of the whole community.
Weeks before the festival, the community organizes the Raja de Leña (similar to La Pica de Leña), where firewood for the main festivities is chopped with axes. Different wood chopping competitions, music, food, masquerades and prizes are part of the Raja de Leña.
One of the main reasons for the festival is to preserve the traditional way of making tortillas, using the same instruments and style of their ancestors. This artisanal process begins by finely grinding the corn on a rectangular stone mortar using a stone rolling pin until the perfect consistency is reached. Then the dough is prepared to make a delicious fresh tortilla. The tortilla is shaped “in the air” (tortilla palmeada al aire), by pressing the dough between the palms of the hand – not by pressing it on a table! The tortilla is then cooked over a wood fire stove on a ceramic plate.
Different contests challenge the ability of the participants (youth and adults) in making these traditional tortillas. Different aspects of the tortilla making process are judged: the size and shape, the texture and thickness, the turning of the tortilla on the comal (griddle) by hand, and the ideal toasting of the tortilla.
This event is a perfect opportunity to try the corn based traditional products of the Chorotega Region. There is a wide selection of food and drinks made from corn:
- tortillas
- tamales
- rosquillas (corn donut)
- perrerreque (sweet corn cake)
- corn on the cob
- atol (similar to gelatin made with purple corn)
- chicheme (a traditional drink)
- arroz de maiz (similar to pozole, served with chicken)
- buñuelos (pastry)
- gallina achiotada (chicken stew)
There are also many vendors featuring local products and artisans.
The Festival de la Tortilla offers a wonderful chance to immerse one’s self into the warmth of a community of people committed to preserving their traditions.
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