THE LEGEND OF MAÍZ
A long time ago in the center of the planet, there was a town that, like all towns at that time, hunted and ate roots to survive, their lives were like their bland food and not good at all... they lived there because they knew that the mountains hid a hidden treasure, a golden plant, capable of feeding all its people, rich and nutritious that they could harvest during all seasons.
People ventured to the mountains to get that treasure, many people tried but failed, they asked the strongest gods for help and they with all their brute force failed too.
Quetzalcóatl, an intelligent and strategist god, responded to the pleas of the people, and instead of the other gods he decided to use his intelligence and not his strength.
He watched the mountains for a while and realized that a red ant was carrying the treasure he was looking for, Quetzalcoatle turned into a black ant and quickly befriended the ant and asked him to show him the way, she agreed and together they undertook the most dangerous journey of their lives, a long way to have such short legs, with the risk of being stepped on by any other animal, but together they made it.
Quetzalcoatl gave the corn to the first Aztecs so that they could create their civilization, to be always nourished and above all he taught them a lesson, that no matter how strong you put in, if not creativity and intelligence, the Aztecs paid attention to him and managed to transform this seed in the Corn, food that for generations has fed not only the people of the Aztecs and not the whole world.
SIN MAÍZ NO HAY PAÍS
"Without Corn there is no country"
The history of Mesoamerica, and of what we now call Mexico, contains one of the most wonderful stories. Specialists estimate that it happened sometime between 9,000 and 6,200 years ago. The inhabitants of Mesoamerica managed to transform a group of wild grasses, the teosintes, into what we know today as corn.
Teosinte trees have several stems that branch out. Several small cobs emerge from the branches. These have a distichous structure: they only have a couple of rows of grains, which are protected by a kind of rigid skin.
Thanks to the collective and collaborative work of the indigenous peasants, who have been carefully selecting, over several generations, the teosinte grains that had the optimal characteristics, one of the first plants that human beings created with domestication and that shaped the corn over time.
What were the main differences between teosinte and corn? Instead of multiple stalks, corn has a single, sturdy stalk. The ears that are born are few and appear in the center of the plant, they are much larger than those of teosinte; they are soft and easier to eat. The grains are exposed and occupy several rows, that is, their structure is polycystic.
The advantages of these mutations are enormous. The size, texture and quantity of the grains increased. The grains, no longer having a rigid cover, could germinate more quickly. In addition, its collection became easier. While the grains of the teosinte fell and dispersed, those of the corn remained attached to the cob. This allows them to be harvested more easily, without having to pick grain by grain, and whole cobs can be stored.
These mutations caused by human work meant that corn, unlike teosinte, could not propagate itself. Natural dispersal mechanisms stopped working. Corn needs the human being to intervene, to shell the cobs so that its grains can germinate and grow healthily. This is why the Mexican anthropologist Guillermo Bonfil Batalla (1935-1991) stated: "Corn is a human plant, cultural in the deepest sense of the term, because it does not exist without the intelligent and timely intervention of the hand, it is not capable of reproducing itself.
"Sin maíz no hay país / Without Corn there is no country"
is a cultural, social and political movement that seeks to preserve this ancient product, promoting the consumption of the greatest cultural contribution that Mexico has offered to the world.
You can see more of the movement at
ABOUT US
Cuauhtémoc
He was the last tlatoani or aztech king-priest, who took the leadership to defend his people during the Spanish conquer, leading with big skill the defense of Tenochtitlan in 1521, until he was captured and tortured.
María Féliz
Mexican actress also known as “La Doña” or “María Bonita” (Pretty María), known as the diva of the golden age of mexican cinema. She was the biggest representative of the Mexican big screen on an international level, participating also in very well known films in different places of Europe.
Emiliano Zapata
Better known as “the Leader from South”, was a mexican farmer and soldier who participated in the Mexican Revolution as a commander of the Liberating Army of the South. Zapata positioned himself as one of the principal revolutionary leaders from the presidency of Francisco I. Madero in 1911 to his assassination by order of Venustiano Carranza in 1919. He’s considered a symbol of the farmer fight and resistance in México.
El chavo del 8
(Roberto Gómez Bolaños)
He’s a fictional mexican character and the main protagonist in the TV show of the same name. He was played by Roberto Gómez Bolaños, aka. Chespirito, who was an actor, comedian, playwright, writer, director and mexican tv producer. Considered as one of the icons of spanish speaking humor and entertainment.
Sor Juana Inés
de la Cruz
Juana Ramírez de Asbaje, a woman from the 17th century in New Spain, has been known by her religious name as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. She was a Hieronymite nun and writer from New Spain, an exponent of the Golden Age of literature in Spanish. She also incorporated classical Nahuatl into her poetic creation.
somos
CREATIVOS
Los Mexicanos
MEXICAN
are
CHINGONES
El Santo
(Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta)
He was a Mexican pro wrestler and actor, also nicknamed as “The Silver Masked Man '', he’s one of the most famous wrestlers in Mexico and in the world, besides from being one of the icons of mexican culture of the XXth century. His character transcended live wrestling and transformed into a popular superhero by very skillfully managing his image in diverse massive media such as comic books and movies.
Frida Kahlo
She was a mexican painter. She was the author of 150 works, mainly self portraits in which she projected her difficulties to survive. Her life was marked by the misfortune of suffering a horrible accident in her youth that kept her in bed for long periods, coming to undergo up to 32 surgical operations. She is considered a pop icon of the mexican culture.
