Cuchamper (Vincetoxicum salvinii)

[Fernando Moreira]

I am currently looking into vines and their role in Mesoamerican iconography
in Cotzumalhuapa, specifically at the cuchamper (*Vincetoxicum salvinii*).
In “The Pipil language of El Salvador”, Lyle Campbell defines the word
“champe:ris” as “…a bejuco like chayote (güisquil)”.

According to Simon Martin (2007) "...in many Maya languages the words for
"fruit" and "face" are homonyms", thus a cacao pod could be used to
represent a head, or at least a face in iconography. Oddly enough for the
Mexica and other Nahua groups, cacao was used as a metaphor for heart.
Similarly in colloquial Salvadorian and Honduran, cuchamper is used as a
metaphor for heart, as seen in the example “me duele mi cuchamper”. So it
isn’t farfetched to think that this meaning may have come from pre-Columbian
sources or concepts. Please see Bilbao Monument 3 (
http://www.famsi.org/reports/96008/images/fig03.jpg) for a possible
heart/face fruit being offered to a 'god'

If so cuchamper may come from a Pipil word with the form “ku-champe:ris”.
Where the ku- [head, tree, wood or stick] + champe:ris could have a possible
meaning synonymous of “wooden champer/bejuco” or “head champer/bejuco”. Some
suggestive evidence is found in the Popol Vuh, when Hun Hunahpú spat into
the hand of a daughter of one of the lords of Xibalba and got her pregnant.
The spit may be used as a euphemism for seminal fluid. This is important
because cuchampers have a white latex-like liquid in them and this may
appear as semen emerging from the fruit when punctured.

 My problem is the actual origins of the word “champe:ris”, is it Spanish or
Pipil?

Furthermore similar flora are “güisamper” which maybe from “wits-ampe:ris”
meaning “Thorned-Something” and Siguamper which may come from a Pipil word
in the form “siwamper” [siwa:(-t)-ampe:ris] meaning Female- Something”. The
last three examples makes me wonder if the word “champe:ris” is a compounded
word from ch-ampe:ris or ch(am)-ampe:ris?

Any suggestions, leads, and critiques would be appreciated. Thank you very
much for your time and effort in this matter, I hope to hear from you soon.
-- 
*Fernando A. Moreira, B.A.
*Ph: 403-517-2406 | Cell: 403-889-7510
E-mail : fa.moreira.r at gmail.com
E-mail : fmoreira at ucalgary.ca
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