For Mesoamerican cultures, maize (Zea mays) holds a central place in nutrition, in the economy and, of course, in ceremonial life, still present in agricultural communities. The historical and cultural importance of maize is the result of a long process of domestication and diversification, which started in Mexico’s valleys and mountains more than six thousand years ago, originating in wild varieties such as teocintle. Currently, Mexico is recognized as the center of the origin and diversification of maize and 50 native species. Maize, along with pumpkin and beans, are what is known as the “Mesoamerican triad”, and are the basis of the milpa system, a traditional planting system supported by polyculture and a diversity of plant species with a variety of uses.
Planting maize is the governing principle of the Mesoamerican cosmovision, a true “plant archetype” through which different social and religious aspects are organized, such as the gender division of work, kinship, how the community is organized and its festivities. In the same way, this productive practice is closely tied to the observation, knowledge and intervention in the environment. For this reason, farming societies hold a vast heritage of knowledge passed down from one generation to the next, deeply rooted in collective and individual identities. Over time, the traditional way of planting – which includes the slash-cut and burn technique and use of hand tools such as the coa (a planting stick) and a seeder cane – remain in use, coexisting with technologies introduced as far back as the colonial era up until today’s green revolution.