Mesoamerica Maize

Report on Concepts: Maize
For Mesoamerica maize was associated with life. People were dependent on it, and it became an essential part of their society. In the creation stories people originated from maize, therefore corn was the fruit of all existence. The topic maize is significant to Mesoamerican people as evident in the deification of corn, along with rain, which is essential to the crops. The Maya had a special relationship with living things. Ceremonies are evidence of this importance because ceremonies were a means by which they asked for rain to help them grow crops. Among the modern Tzotzil, ceremonies honor the Earth god because the Earth god is the one tells the clouds to come to the earth, the clouds then give rain to the corn
(Vogt 1969: 459). When we look at their planting methods a lot of it also involves ritual. Just like offerings are made at the top of mountain as a request for rain. Dishes of maize gruel were offered for the first seven days of planting while the farmers pray. Another example of ritual as it relates to the growth of corn is seen in the Yucatec Maya farmers. They take part in a larger agricultural ritual that includes every member of their family (Marcus 2006: 223). This ritual is done annually during the most important time of season for the crops. The ceremony is critical because it occurs when the potential for growth is the greatest. This ritual includes the entire community because the amount of crops produced could potentially bring in an abundant food supply that will feed everyone, thus everyone has to take part. It was this rise of agriculture that allowed for the construction of permanent homes. With a stable food supply and construction of housing it allowed people to settle, and all of this resulted in cities. People in the cities could practice religion, which then led to social stratification of societies,
This made me think, how could they have survived on a diet that was mainly corn? The article that I found is titled Nixtamalization, a Mesoamerican technology to process maize at small-scale with great potential for improving the nutritional quality of maize based foods. It explains the process of nixtamalization. What this process does is improve the nutritional value of maize products by adding a lime solution. This ancient technique is still used today. What is most impressive about the ancient Mesoamerican societies is that they had such advanced methods of doing things that are difficult to even comprehend today. Nixtamalization or alkaline cooking uses different sources of alkali for cooking. Lime is the only source that is used in Mesoamerica. In this class we have previously speculated on the African influence as suggested by Olmec art. In regards to maize processing, although the same crop was also a primary source of food in African countries, those countries have not adopted the process. By using the nixtamalization today it could help overcome places in the world that suffer from starvation and