Pipiltzintzintlis: The Noblest Princess

Ladies and gentlemen, gather round, because it’s time to talk a bit about the green elephant in the room…

No, not him! We mean cannabis.

Whether you love it, hate it, or just can’t seem to remember what you did the last time you smoked it, there’s no denying that this plant has a long and storied history. So, sit back, relax, and let’s get lifted (with knowledge, of course) as we explore some interesting trivia about the highs and more of the world’s most controversial herb.

Origins of the Word: The book, “The Cannabis Manifesto”, details how indigenous Mexicans originally referred to hemp flowers (which had been introduced by the Spanish to make ropes and candles) as “pipiltzintzintlis”, which meant “the noblest princess” in the Nahuatl language. These indigenous people used it for medicinal purposes during colonial times. When the Spanish eventually banned it, those who continued using it simply called it “marijuana”, which in Nahuatl means “things of Mary” or religious possessions, as a colloquial term to avoid punishment for its possession.

The First Dope Dealers: The Yamnaya, thought to be one of the three key tribes that founded European civilization, were nomads who entered Europe some 5,000 years ago from the eastern steppe region, in what is now Ukraine and Russia. They brought with them metallurgy, grazing and, perhaps most critically for the growth of civilization, they were also responsible for the first transcontinental cannabis trade, as they discovered the versatility of the plant, using it as medicine, raw material and even exploiting its hallucinogenic properties.

Getting High on Easter Isle: How did the ancients move the giant, 4.3-ton heads from the quarries on Easter Island to their current locations? On rollers? Did they have alien help? In 2012, California State University archaeologist Carl Lipo showed that all that was needed was hemp rope. By tying three hemp ropes to the statue and having a team of 18 people rock it back and forth until it “walked”, they were able to move the stone heads 100 meters in less than an hour.

If they only could’ve infused the stones with THC, maybe they would’ve walked on their own??

The Bard Smoked Up: William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is widely regarded as the greatest English playwright and poet, but was he also the greatest stoner in British history?

Marijuana residues were found in the Bard’s home, which – we thinkith – could have been an enormous aid in writing, or at least of inspiration.

The First Grower: George Washington was the first President of the United States. He was also a prolific hemp farmer. He mentions the plant at least ninety times in his diaries and writings, talking about finding, sowing, and harvesting the best hemp seeds. While there is no mention of him smoking his goods, we know that he was keen to put the plant to many other uses.

The House That Hemp Builds: Hempcrete is a bio-composite material made from hemp hurds (the woody inner core) and lime. It’s used as a construction and insulation material, is easier to work with than traditional lime mixes and lacks the brittleness of concrete. This makes it an ideal material for most climates, as it combines insulation and thermal mass. The only drawback we see is that people might often be setting their homes on fire for the ultimate “hot box” experience.

California Leads - in All Directions: Long before being banned by federal law in 1937, cannabis was outlawed in California in 1913 as part of an anti-narcotics campaign aimed at opiates. California then became the first state in the US to legalize cannabis for medical use in 1996. It’s been legal for recreational use in the Golden State since 2016.

L.A. Is A Weed Wonderland: On January 1, 1976, Angelenos woke to find that Cal State Northridge art student, Danny Finegood, had changed the Hollywood sign to read Hollyweed.

A stunt which earned him an “A” grade in his class assignment. Today, aside from being the city of the stars, Los Angeles has more marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks. We do so love La La Land!

Dude, Where’s My Stash: According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the “bulkiest drug seizure” of cannabis was 2,903 metric tons (6.4 million pounds), all of which came from a Colombian drug operation, in 1982. This single catch was one-fifth of the total amount of cannabis being illegally imported into the United States per year at the time.

The First Transaction: In a 2005, author John Markoff wrote the following: “In 1971 or 1972, Stanford students used accounts from the university’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory to conduct a business transaction with their counterparts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Before Amazon and eBay, the seminal act of e-commerce was a drug deal, as students used the ARPANET network to quietly agree to the sale of an indeterminate amount of marijuana”.

(ARPANET was a computer network created by the U.S. Department of Defense that built the backbone of the Internet until 1990)

Stories We Can’t Make Up: Louis Armstrong, one of the all-time great jazz musicians and beloved entertainer, in the late 1950s had been named “Goodwill Ambassador” for the United States.

When he landed in New York after a 1958 concert tour in Europe and Asia, he was directed to the customs line for a search of his luggage (he had about 1 kg of marijuana in his suitcase) Just before the customs agents began their search, the doors opened and then Vice President Richard Nixon entered the room, followed by a group of reporters and photographers. “Satchmo, what are you doing here?” Nixon asked in surprise. “Well, I just got back from my goodwill ambassador tour in Asia and they told me I had to clear customs”. Without hesitation, Nixon grabbed his two suitcases. “Ambassadors don’t have to go through customs and the vice president of the United States will gladly carry their bags,” Nixon said, playing Armstrong’s mule without even knowing it.

We thought we would conclude this brief cannabis chronicle with a happy ending story.

No, no, not that kind…..

The famous Jamaican musician, Bob Marley, was buried with his red Gibson guitar, a Bible open to Psalms 23 and a cannabis bud.

For those of you, like us, who are in need of a scripture primer, the 23rd Psalm begins, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures” We hope Mr. Marley is indeed kicked back in a fragrant green field of his favorite herb.

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