Literature

1
Literature

• Warman, Arturo 1988 La historia de un bastardo.
  Maíz y capitalismo. FCE México, D.F.

2
Literature

• Kaller-Dietrich, Martina Mais Ernährung und
  Kolonialismus. In Mais - Geschichte und Nutzung
  einer Kulturpflanze (Historische Sozialkunde/
  Internationale Entwicklung 18). Ingruber,
  Daniela/ Kaller-Dietrich, Martina (edas) Wien/
  Frankfurt a.M. 2001 13-42

3
Corn
Botanical zea mays Zea (Cereal grain) mahiz
(caribbean, preserving life)
4
Mesoamerican Corn cultivation Planting with
Separating and piling Harvest
digging hooks (hoe) of plants
Pictures from the Codex Florentino, 1570
(Codices served as reports to the Crown)
5
Combined cultivation of corn in the mesoamerican
milpa

• EFFECTS
• positive waterbalance
• limits soil and eolian ersosion
• soil renutriment assured

6
Multiple uses of corn in Mexico The corn silk
(espigas) are prepared as tea which is attributed
healing effects (in case of urinary infections
and ailments of the kidney) The de-grained
corncobs (olote) serve as fuel material, as
animal fodder, for the production of tools, as
replacement for toilet paper and as basis for the
production of explosive oil. The green corn
leaves serve as animal fodder and
fertilizers. The corn stalks are used as
construction material, fertilizers and for the
production of diverse tools. The corn husk, the
tightly-wrapped leaves that cover the cob, called
totomoxtle, serve for wrapping up meals. The
strong roots of the corn stalks either are left
for the improvement of the soil or are used as
fuel material.
7
Also the pitch-black corn smut, the so-called
huitlacoche ( botan. ustilago maydis), is eaten
and because of culinary reasons its infestation
is also intentionally induced.
Corn smut The corn smut is a parasitic mushroom
which infects the corn plants
8
Corn people Fresco from Bonampak Chiapas
9
GENESIS AND CORN
Codex Chimalpocoa - Nahuatl 4 failed attempts to
create humans from different food Quetzalcóatl,
in the shape of an ant, penetrated into the
mountain of preservation and found there corn
from that moment onwards the Gods nourished
themselves from corn and from it they created
humans
Pop-Wuj - Mayas 3 attempts to create humans 1st.
attempt, out of loam but they could not stand
the weather conditions 2nd. attempt, out of wood
but they were clumsy 3rd. attempt, out of corn
humans could think, speak and admire the Gods
10
soaking and cooking with slaked lime
Preparation of corn dough for making corn
TORTILLAS
washing out of lime and peeling of the grain
grinding/ squeezing on the METATE
( Mesoamerican grinder made from basalt)
11
Pre-Columbian Kitchen utensils
12
Dissemination of Corn in Europe
15th century Ornamental plants 16th century
Portuguese bring corn to West Africa Food
rations for slaves Since the 17th century
moderate cultivation especially in Southern
Italy and in the Balcans (Ottoman
Empire) Epidemic spread of Pellagra CORN ?
FOOD FOR POOR PEOPLE
13
Pellagra
In the 18th century identified as a deficiency
disease Evidence is available since the 17th
century in Southern Spain Symptoms Inflamation
of the skin (dermatitis) Diarreah Debility
(dementia) Death Epidemics Southern France,
Northern Italy (Pianura Padana), Balcans
14
Mal de Rojas

• 1937 Cause was found to be deficiency of niacin
• Interaction between Nicotinic acids and Vitamin B
  ?
• Administration of products containing niacin
  beer yeasts, pork fat

15
CORN IN THE USA

• Part of the succes story
• Settlers learned from the Indigenous peoples
• Corn cultivation with digging hooks (hoes)
• Preparation of corn (for example hominy corn
  kernels cooked with ashes)

16
Corn is Food for the plantation workers slaves
in the Southern States
Corn (besides raising pigs ? Fat) the backbone
of the production of tobacco / sugar and cotton
After 1865 (abolishment of the slavery) there
was more corn produced than cotton
17
SLAVE BREEDING

• on the cotton plantations
• Different forms of production
• Plantations or in the back gardens of the
  workers
• Preparation Mash, dough or couscous
• Source http//www.afropop.org/multi/interview/ID/
  76/GwendolynMidloHall-2005

18
Corn Beltin the Midwest
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas
and Nebraska Basis for livestock
production 20th century 40 of the world
production in the USA
19
(No Transcript)
20
Corn for livestock in the USA
Practiced in the USA since 1830 Experimental
laboratory Valley of Ohio Herds of cattle from
Indiana were herded to be fattened in the Ohio
valley and afterwards were taken to the
slaughterhouses of Cincinnati
21
Corn for livestock in the USA

• 6 kg corn ? 1 kg beef
• 1910 lt 80 of the corn production in the corn
  belt were used for animal fattening
• 20th century 70 of the total production of corn
  is used for livestock

22
Corn and Biotechnology
In the decade of the 1920s research and
application of the Heterosis effects 1.
Increased yield in comparison to parental
generation 2. high uniformity of the
plants Hybrid breeding Following generation
sterile Henry A. Wallace (Secretary of
Agriculture under Franklin D. Roosevelt) began
the first campaign for hybrid corn in 1926
Roosevelt New Deal intensification of
agriculture through modern techniques 1941
hybrid corn on 40 of the cultivated areas 1950
only hybrid corn in the USA
23
Original corn crops regions red
Corn corps regions today green