Maya and Maize

Maize is a domesticated strain of wild grass, there is much debate over which grass it evolved from or who created the hybrid, but cobs have been found in archaeological excavations dating to 5000 BC. Corn has a higher yield than wheat, rice, barley or any other New World grain and was used to feed every Maya from slave to king. The Maya considered corn a gift from the gods and cultivating it was a sacred duty. The most sacred of stones, jade, was used to symbolize it and according to the sacred book of the Maya, Popol Vuh, man was made of corn.

The preparation of maize was important for the sustenance of the Maya. The hard kernels are boiled in water and white lime to make hominy. This is ground into dough which is generally used to make tamales or tortillas. This process enhances the level of amino acids, calcium and niacin, which are naturally deficient in maize. Basing a diet on maize without preparing it this way could lead to malnutrition.

Corn is basically a source of carbohydrate energy. When combined with beans (protein, iron and minerals), squash, and chile peppers (all the essential vitamins) you have just about everything the human body needs for good health. Now add fresh fruits and maybe some animal protein (pork, chicken, fish) and you have a rich multifaceted diet.

Tamales are made from corn meal mixed with shortening and flavorings, formed into a roll stuffed with meat and steamed in a banana leaf. Tortillas are flat circles of cooked cornmeal dough which modern Maya eat with all meals. They are flexible when cooked and can be filled with meat or vegetables, or used to scoop up food. Making tortillas is one of Maya women's main activities since each family member might eat between 20-25 tortillas at lunch.

First the kuum (kernels of maize) is boiled with limestone, then washed, The shell is removed and the kernels are placed on a smooth rectangular stone called a metate and ground. The ground maize is left to rise and is then shaped into thin, flat circles which are cooked on a comal grill.

There is some speculation that tortillas might have been a Spanish import, but at any rate maize was prepared in numerous ways by the ancient Maya. They drank it as gruel, made it into sourdough, mixed it into stews, steamed it as tamales, and so on, very much like Maya cooks do today. In modern times corn makes up 50% - 70% of the Maya diet and there are more than 4000 different recipes calling for corn.

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