Corn (Maize) is Life

Blog Post #3
April 17, 2015
Hannah James

Like I've stated in previous blog posts, the diets of ancestral southwestern native Americans were fAirily bland. The earliest tribes ate turkey and fruits for a majority of their meals. As their society's grew in complexity, so did their means of sustainability. Hunting turned into domestication and breeding while gathering evolved into agriculture. The crop that yielded the most abundant harvest was maize. Maize is a domesticated version of teosinte. Native Americans were successfully able to breed this plant into the corn we know and love today. To grow maize, native Americans would plant the seeds in fertile soil and regularly monitor its growth progress. Often, they'd have a child or preteen stand guard in the fields to keep deer, birds, and rodents from disturbing the plants. Once harvested, the maize is used for a variety of dishes and uses. 

Teosinte vs. Modern Maize

Maize could, and still can, be found in more Native American dishes. They grew 24 varieties of maize, so the possibilities were endless. A corn byproduct that tribes still create today is Harnilla, which is a blue corn meal. Harnilla is used to create different starches and tortillas. Although maize, or corn, is now a huge agricultural business today, many tribes still grow and harvest it on their reserves. Maize is an extremely tough crop that can withstand the harsh weather elements of the southwest. 

"American Indians - Southwest Bands." Kidzworld. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <http://www.kidzworld.com/article/1389-american-indians-southwest-bands>.

"Native American Food." Native American Food. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <http://www.indians.org/articles/native-american-food.html>.