I was reading your post more closely right now, and I loved it because you always bring us a story along with your recipe, and that's great.
Regarding tamales, I will tell you that practically all of Mesoamerica (from Mexico, passing through Central America and ending in Colombia), is a well-known dish in all those countries, I think that further south, which is Peru, Bolivia and perhaps Ecuador, they also consume them. In my country, Venezuela, we have a different, more elaborate preparation, and it is the famous hallaca. Hopefully one day you can try it, you will be impressed by the amalgamation of flavors it has. In the community there are several recipes with them, all in a vegan version, although the original is not, since they use meat; however, the hallaca summarizes what Venezuela is: An amalgamation of cultures, with a very complex gastronomy.
However, your recipe is great, it is very elaborate, I think even more than many tamale recipes I have seen, so you give this dish a plus.
Thank you very much for being part of this community, I hope you have a happy new year.
Yes I realize this has a different name in each country, region. Even in Mexico they vary depending on so many factors.
I am excited to research the famous hallacas. I usually search the authentic meat recipes then try to replace or eliminate the meat. I find that those tend to be the most authentic, but not always of course. Have a wonderful New Year and thank you for your great support.