The Susan G. Komen Foundation San Antonio Chapter held a fundraiser this holiday season by selling tickets to the play “Las Nuevas Tamaleras.” Since the play mostly attracted women, I decided to take my mom, my sister and my grandmothers. Although they all had been a few times in previous years, this was my first time attending. I knew it was a comedy about making tamales but I wasn’t too sure what to expect.
A tamale (tamal) consists of masa spread onto a husk (from a corn) and filled with some type of meat such as chicken or pork along with various spices. They are wrapped and then cooked. Tamales derived from the Native Americans and are now popular among Latin American cultures. In the US, Latinos usually make tamales during the holiday season. Making tamales is a huge production. You make them by the dozen. Typically, women make the tamales. You have to make the masa, cook the pork with spices, spread the masa, fill with meat, wrap and cook. People always joke that during the tamale making, women tend to spread “chisme” (gossip).
Las Nuevas Tamaleras depicts this tamale production in a very comical way. It is written and directed by San Antonio playwright, Alicia Mena. The play is in both Spanish and English or you can say a lot Spanglish or Tex Mex Spanish such as “Que selfish!”
The play was hilarious! I recommend that all Latinos see it and anyone interested in learning more about the Latino culture. It was also a good cause, to support Latinas suffering from breast cancer. Often times, Latinas do not receive proper care because of language barriers, lack of education or financial reasons. The Foundation works to overcome these obstacles and help Latinas detect early so they can be treated.
