Question

Anthropology Question:

What is corn’s significance in the prehistoric and current indigenous cultures of the Southwest?

Answer 1

The prehistoric Peublo Native Americans developed a wide variety of foods by selective breeding and hybridization. Corn became a hallmark of the evolving agrarian society and it was available as white, yellow, red, and blue varieties. Corn along with beans, and squash provided a stable food supply and the three together are known as the ‘three- sisters’ of a Native American farm. In fact, Corn began to constitute a major staple in their diet and it is the major source of cereals for the present day indigenous society also especially modern day Mexico and South America.

Corn has also served as an important cultural symbol and it used in the religious ceremonies as offerings to the indigenous ancestral spirits and goods. Corn has beenused in a variety of ways, with almost unlimited variations in the cooking methods included baking, frying, deep frying, boiling, and roasting over an open fire.