Geography of Chocolate James Hayes-Bohanan, Ph.D. Professor, Bridgewater State University Geography Associate Faculty, ISIS Belize Affiliated Scholar, Vanderbilt University Institute for Coffee Studies Barista Guild Member, Specialty Coffee Association of America Revised December 11, 2012

Environmental Geography

(Other coures are offered during the first half of the June session. The total cost for a full June session is $4,225)

Chocolate is now consumed as a sweet in many parts of the world and most of the cacao from which it is produced is grown in Africa. But chocolate began as a spicy, savory food cultivated by Maya in what is now Belize and neighboring Mexico and Guatemala. The first half of this course is an introduction to Maya civilization, past and present, with an emphasis on those aspects related to the cultivation and uses of cacao. Attention then turns to the geography of chocolate, beginning with the historic diffusion of its cultivation and consumption. After examining contemporary social and environmental aspects of cacao production and chocolate trade, attention returns to community-based production within Belize.  This field course will visit Maya ruins and sacred caves, organic cacao producers’ organizations and chocolate producers; meet with cacao farmers, Maya elders and healers; and participate in the production of cacao foods and drinks.

Pamela Hayes-Bohanan is a Librarian and Spanish professor at Bridgewater State University (BSU) in Massachusetts and author of the chapter “Prehistoric Cultures” in 21^st Century Anthropology: A Reference Handbook, edited by James Brix.  James Hayes-Bohanan is a Professor of Geography at BSU, where he teaches environmental geography, the geography of Latin America, and courses on the geography of coffee. He is currently writing The Geography of Coffee & Tea, forthcoming, and speaks frequently on social and environmental dimensions of coffee.