Where it served as the primary nutritional source for people , no crop was more venerated than corn . This extraordinary grain which could be prepared in a multitude of ways was celebrated through invocation , storytelling , song , ritual and dance .
human being and plant relationship . Almost without exception , ing , song , ritual and dance . The
through invocation , storytell- every indigenous culture understood that all plants and animals of the American Southwest to this
magnificent and epic corn dances
together with every other natural day hold profound meaning to the phenomenon such as mountains , clouds , rain , springs , lakes , the corn ” in subtle simulation of
Pueblo Indian tribes who “ dance
streams and even so called “ minor the stages of its growth , maturation and fruition and in honor of phenomena ” such as stones and shells , all resonated with “ beingness ” similar to our own . For this their existence . Some tribes at-
the natural forces that uphold
reason , plants , especially those tribute the appearance of this that provided food , medicine or wonder grain to the generosity raw materials for the satisfaction of spirit beings in the form of the of primary needs , were deeply Four Corn Maidens , each of whom appreciated , respected , appeased brought a different color of corn to and celebrated . the people - White from the East ,
Where it served as the primary nutritional source for people , the West and Blue from the North .
Yellow from the South , Red from no crop was more venerated than
Another story that captures corn . This extraordinary grain human being ’ s ties to plant life and which could be prepared in a makes of them one , is that of the multitude of ways was celebrated Mayan creation story outlined in the Pop Vuh , the sacred tome of the Mayan people who yet inhabit southern Mexico , Guatemala , Belize and parts of El Salvador . In it , it is said that the Creator of all things initially attempted to fashion human beings out of mud but his creations grew too heavy and cumbersome and soon fell apart . In his second attempt , he fashioned them out of wood but they proved to be too stiff , too brittle and too haughty . That experiment failed as well . In his last and final attempt , the Creator took corn dough from which flat cakes or tortillas are made and formed human beings out of it . The moist cornmeal proved to be the ideal material for fashioning human beings because it possessed a softness and a pliability that allowed people to breathe and , just as importantly , to feel . From then on , human beings began to thrive .
It is significant that the plant and plant material that worked best for the creation of humans in this story is one which historically , we know humans to have had a major hand in domesticating and developing . In essence , people were corn and corn was people from a very early date in the Americas .
Perhaps the story that may be most reflective of the profound intertwining of human and plant life and the life-giving power of this identification , is an indigenous story that comes from the Great Lakes region of our country . In this story , a particular man of good heart goes on a retreat in a clearing in the woods after witnessing the suffering of his starving nation . He goes into an uninterrupted state of prayer and meditation
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