Mexico, the land of corn
In the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico, there is a peninsula protruding northward - the Yucatan Peninsula. The glorious and prosperous Mayan culture once occurred here. Unearthed cultural relics show that Indians domesticated wild corn into cultivated crops here. Therefore, people call Mayan culture "corn culture". Countless corn plants, ear remains and stone tools on display in the National Museum of Mexico today show that Indians living in Mexico were growing and eating corn more than 7,000 years ago.
Mexico is located between 15 and 32 degrees north latitude, surrounded by mountains on three sides, and in the middle is a plateau with an altitude of more than 1,000 meters. Mexico has a variety of climate conditions including tropical, subtropical and temperate zones. These created a good environment for the growth and development of corn and the prosperity of the Indians. In the language of Mexican Indians, the earliest name for corn is "Indian Valley Gas". When Columbus arrived in the New World at the end of the 15th century, there were at least 700 varieties of corn cultivated by Mexican Indians.
In Mexico, many monuments and buildings show that the ancient Indians were proud of the corn they selected and cultivated. In the Cultural Park in the center of Mexico City, there is an eye-catching statue. Loving mother holds cute baby in her arms. The child holds a green book in his hand, which symbolizes human material civilization. Next to him, a beautiful little girl holds a golden ear of corn, which symbolizes the treasure that has nurtured the survival and development of the Indian nation for thousands of years.
The unearthed cultural relics displayed in the National Museum of Mexico and the many murals showing Indian ethnic customs in the National Palace seem to introduce people to the days when Indians worked hard to plant corn in ancient times. There is a mural showing the scene of Indians planting corn in a vast field; in March of spring, the first rainy season moistens the earth and the annual corn planting season begins. The man holds a sharpened wooden stick and bends over to poke a hole in the ground. The woman behind him scatters a few grains of corn. The children cover it with soil and step on it hard, and the sowing is completed. .
Another huge mural in the National Museum shows a corn harvest in an ancient Indian village. The corn plants in the field stand upright in the wind, and their heavy ears are pleasing to the eye. The upcoming harvest season kept the Indians busy. People dressed in festive costumes danced joyfully. They lit bonfires and cooked delicious turkeys. The A and B marks in this picture show a uniform and neat corn field, and people have prepared warehouses for a good harvest of corn. In another corn-growing area not far away, although the plants seemed sparse, they grew neatly, and the strong, drooping ears grew particularly large. This is a maize sacrifice grown specifically for the Maize God. This community is strictly isolated, and there are several Indians who drive away birds that try to steal corn kernels.
The unearthed cultural relics also include stone mills, stone mortars and stone baking stoves used by Indians thousands of years ago. There is also a smooth oval stone used for baking corn tortillas. Many Indian tribes still follow the ancient habit of making corn tortillas. The women plucked out the mixed cornmeal balls, deftly squeezed them into thin corn tortillas and baked them on stone pancakes. After they were cooked, they sprinkled them with a layer of cooked black beans, chili noodles or pork shreds. .
Today, corn is still the staple food of the Mexican people. There are more than 150 kinds of staple and non-staple foods processed from corn. Even at a state banquet, there must be several dishes with unique flavors made from corn!