A local people takes part in activities on Spetember 29,the National Day of Corn,in Mexico City, capital of Mexico. (Xinhua/Alejandro Ayala)
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Corn, as a symbol of the farming communities, is the source of life and identity that has nourished and sustained generations of Mexicans. This is why, on September 29, Mexico celebrates the National Day of Corn to honor this crop's contribution to the country.
According to sources consulted by Xinhua, corn domestication began around 10,000 years ago when the inhabitants of the Mesoamerican tropical forests began to sow this wild grass. Prior to this early form of agriculture, the grain was collected as a reliable source of food.
Rapidly, these indigenous cultures began the breeding of the best strains of maize until, over many generations, it became the corn we know today.
From its first period of domestication, corn spread to the rest of the American continent, where farming communities today continue to adapt the cereal to their own ecological and cultural needs.
For that reason, even though Mesoamerica was corn's place of origin, it remains responsible for its centers of diversity.
MEXICO DEFENDS CORN CULTURE
In Mexico, the love of corn is so strong that an entire culture has sprung up around it, with rituals, customs, and even linguistic elements that describe a way of life that revolves around the crop.
From the region's indigenous past to the current farming world, many of these practices have not changed much and have provided a cultural link for many communities to their pre-Hispanic heritage.
Corn has also turned into a symbol of farmers' resistance against certain government policies. They view the continuity of corn over five centuries as a symbol of its resilience and importance, holding it up as representing natural farming techniques.
Furthermore, corn is the main ingredient behind a large variety of dishes. Many of them originate from Mexico and have made the Latin American country famous for its culinary reputation. Confectionery, cornbread, atole, tortillas, and tamales are just some of the foods that have become rooted in Mexican culture.
People take part in activities on Spetember 29,the National Day of Corn,in Mexico City, capital of Mexico. (Xinhua/Alejandro Ayala)
MILPA ALTA, AN EXAMPLE OF PRESERVATION
To the south of Mexico City, the borough of Milpa Alta has become one of the best examples for how traditions and customs linked to corn can be preserved.
The tradition of sowing the grain comes from our ancestors, according to farmer Nemesio Sanchez. "My grandparents told me that their parents farmed corn and never ran out of food," he told Xinhua.
Sowing corn has become precious for Sanchez as it helps him honor his ancestors. "It is a way of life, we can never go without the sacred cereal."
However, the advantages of modern crop farming mean that Sanchez's family does not only grow corn. They alternate the crop with squash, broad beans, kidney beans and gourds. "We also have some hectares where we grow nopal cactus. This allows us to eat well. We cannot always eat meat but we try to at least twice a week," said Sanchez.
Currently, Mexico has 59 native species of corn and five hybrids. This means that the Latin American country is one of the most important biodiversity global centers for corn.
Corn is grown all over the country but the main corn-producing states include Jalisco, Puebla, Chiapas, Michoacan, Sinaloa, the State of Mexico, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Tamaulipas and Veracruz.
MEDICAL USES FOR CORN
Corn also has medicinal properties. Purple corn contains anthocyanin (water-soluble pigments that may appear red, purple or blue and have antioxidant properties) which protects against the development of tumors.
Cooking and consuming the cob's silk-like filaments can also help to alleviate kidney problems and clean the urinary tract.
Poultices made from cornflour are anti-inflammatories and can alleviate sores, wounds, bruises and rheumatic pain.
This seemingly infinite variety of uses for corn provides a fascinating glimpse of corn's cultural and culinary richness, explaining just why it has become a part of the Mexican tapestry, worthy of being celebrated.
