Somos Granos

I am a descendant of the people of the Corn, the Maiz, or Choclo as it’s known to my ancestors. In 2021, I became focused on building a relationship with this ancestral crop.I planted corn with seeds from the Zapatistas, what they call “a corn in resistance!” In my last plant medicine journey, I received a message that told me to tend to the soil in my garden - to treat the soil the way I would treat my body, with great care and intention. In my vision, I saw that our mother earth is suffering and that I must be intentional with the land that I live on, that by healing the soil I could also heal myself and my community. Spring brings about beautiful changes and shifts, and I can be ready for it by making sure I am creating a regenerative and nourishing environment.

To grow a relationship with corn is to understand how to best plant it. This year I planted the “Three Sisters” for the first time. The Three Sisters represent 3 core food pillars of some Indigenous cultures, a trifecta of agricultural sustainability and an important facet of Indigenous foodways. The Three Sisters are corn, beans, and squash.

My friend, Orlando Arenas, says “Corn is a representation of humanity. That's why you have black corn, yellow corn, white corn, red corn, mixed color corn and rainbow corn. Somos Gente de Maiz. We’re People of the Corn. So if you want to respect the Cosmos, respect the four directions. If you want to respect Mother Earth, respect the four elements. And if you want to respect humanity, respect the red, yellow, black, white corn, mixed color and rainbow color corn. We’re all #GenteDeMaiz”