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Blue Hopi Corn
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Blue
Corn: Found primarily in the Southwest, blue corn has been a staple food
of Native Americans - including the Hopi, Pueblo, Navajo & Zuni tribes -
for hundreds of years. Coronado found blue corn & other flour corns during
his 1540 expedition into the Southwest.
Blue flour corn, made of primarily soft starches, is used for blue corn flour
& cornmeal, and for making blue corn tortillas and blue corn chips. Itís
a bit coarser than yellow or white meal, but is somewhat sweeter & nuttier
in flavor. It also contains about 20% more protein & up to 50% more iron
than other varieties of corn.
Blue Corn & Hopi Indians: Hopi blue corn varieties can range in
color from nearly black to a powdery gray color. There are three varieties of
the blue corn: "standard" blue (sakwaqa'o), hard blue (huruskwapu),
and gray-blue (maasiqa'o). Because of its hard kernels, huruskwapu is most
resistant to storage pests and traditionally was the preferred variety for
storing. When the grinding was all done by hand, women preferred using
maasiqa'o because it is soft and easier to grind but the color was not as
vibrant as that of the sakwaqa'o or huruskwapu.
Besides being the backbone of their diet, blue corn represents an essential
part of the Hopi culture. It represents the Eastern rising sun, the beginning
of life, wisdom & understanding. The Hopi of Arizona use blue corn in the
naming ceremonies of infants, who might not receive their name for 6-to-8
months. They believe that blue corn represents a long life; Hopi men ate blue
corn before undertaking long journeys because they believe it gives them great
strength. To this day, the Hopi believe in the power of blue corn, as
demonstrated by their story of creation.
As
the Hopi moved from the third to the fourth way of life, Maasawu, the
Creator, presented the gift of corn to all those who emerged. The other
peoples took the largest ears of corn and Hopis were left with the small
blue ear. The Hopis knew that their fourth way of life would be would not be
easy, but that overcoming hardships would make them strong. The themes of
humility, cooperation and respect became the lifeway of all Hopis.
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