The Totem Family of Vanilla Paradise Nevis
A Land of Legacy: The Origins of Vanilla Paradise Land
The land on which we built the vanilla farm was previously used for growing sugarcane, and later, in the 1960s, it served as a stone-breaking site. Amidst the remnants of forgotten machinery scattered across the land, we found ourselves pondering what to do with all these metal odds and ends. From a rusty yellow tractor – which ended up being home to a nest of bees, as you can read in an earlier blog here - to crank cases, pistons, and various other hefty pieces, the question arose: should we take it all to the dump or seek a more creative solution?
Peta's Vision for Repurposing
Enter my ingenious friend Peta, a metal sculptress extraordinaire, with a flair for the unconventional. With a twinkle in her eye, she proclaimed, "It's obvious, darlings! Let's build a Totem Pole!" And just like that, inspiration struck.
Forging Art from History: A Collaborative Endeavour
My daughter, Eva, and her merry band of friends, fresh from the battlefield of exams, descended upon Nevis and were given the challenge of creating a Vanilla Princess Totem Pole. They sketched out an absolutely amazing design, and we enlisted the help of Sam Webbe, a talented local metalworker, to assist them in assembling and welding the metal pieces. And so, Princess Tzacopontziza, a 15-foot Totem Pole, was born. The tragic fate of this Aztec Princess is behind the story of vanilla. In her new home on Nevis, Tzacopontziza’s eyes seem to follow your every move, a handbag swinging from her metallic arm, and bracelets adorning her wrists.
“The vanilla story begins in the salt-thick air of Veracruz [in Mexico]. Here, the first vanilla plants were cultivated and tended by the Totonac people who found the wild orchids and called them xa’nat. The Totonac say that the flowers and their scented seed pods sprang from blood. Not just ordinary blood, but that of the princess Tzacopontziza, who was so beautiful and pure in spirit… Tzacopontziza defied her father, and she was killed, along with her lover. Vanilla sprouted from her blood which had seeped into the ground.”
Meet The Totem Family
Inspired by our newfound passion for metal artistry, we didn't stop at one. Behold, our Totem Family: Tzacopontziza, Vanilla Princess, two feline guardians, Vaniluna, and Vanilthra, the keepers of the Vanilla realm, a magnificent snail, Xa’Nat, fashioned from brake drums, and a faithful dog sculpture dedicated to Toni, the Canine Vanilla Connoisseur. Read Toni’s story here.
Watch our video and see the Totem Family:
A Paradise Nevis Welcome from the Quirky Crew
When you visit our vanilla farm, please look to the right as you enter and shake hands with our Vanilla Princess Tzacopontziza, say hi to our Snail, stroke the tails of the Cats, and give Toni's nose a gentle tap. They serve as the quirky welcome party to our vanilla farm.
Toni poses with her Vanilla Twin!
We thank Peta for her idea, and Eva and her friends for the design and Sam for his metalwork artistry! This is a story from Nevis, the Queen of the Caribbean (and of Totem Poles apparently!).
PS: who knows what the names Xa’Nat, Vaniluna and Vanilthra mean? Answers below in the comments!
