Corn: We are Rooted in Our Corn Fields

In Hopi belief, if you want to teach a person the history or the song that is deeply connected to our history, you feed them corn. You’re planting history into this person.  Planting is really a life of Hopi.

            Milland Lomakema, Hopi, 1986

The Hopi people farm successfully in an arid and demanding environment. They have detailed knowledge of their environment and employ specialized agricultural methods to maximize their chances for success. Farmers select the most favorable field sites on the valley floors, generally utilizing naturally flooded areas such as the mouths of large washes to capture the runoff from heavy thunderstorms. They plant multiple seeds in each hole, resulting in clumps of plants that are wind resistant and widely spaced to prevent soil nutrient depletion. Seeds are planted 12 inches deep to take advantage of the moisture trapped in the sandy subsoil.

The traditional planting dates are determined by the Sunwatcher, who observes the varying positions of the rising sun on the horizon. With the worrisome potential for both late spring and early fall frosts, correct timing for planting is vital. Hopi farmers increase their chances for success by making several plantings at different locations, elevations, and times.

The Hopi people place high value on traditional corn horticulture techniques and continue to exert great effort in the application of these centuries-old practices, using native seeds and organic farming methods. Farming has more than economic significance. Working the corn is an act of faith.

Corn has sustained the people for centuries and continues to be an essential element in every ceremony. Although people may supplement their supply with corn purchased from the supermarket, it is the presence of corn cultivated by the Hopis themselves that is of primary importance.

The Desert Southwest

People have been living in the Southwest region of the United States for at least 10,000 years. Faced with the hardships of life in an arid land, these peoples developed cultures that relied on the area's natural resources.

The Southwest is a land of mountains, deserts, plateaus, mesas, and deep canyons. In places, it rises above sea level to altitudes of 5,000 to 7,000 feet. Throughout the region, rainfall averages less than 10 inches per year, and there are few permanently flowing rivers. The lack of both rain and flowing water makes survival extremely difficult.

Despite the harshness of the environment, many forms of plant and animal life have adapted to it. Many varieties of plants are indigenous to this region, including roots, grasses, plants and cacti. Juniper and piñon trees are also scattered throughout the area. Rabbits, rodents and reptiles are quite abundant. In some places, larger animals such as deer, antelope, bear, foxes, and coyotes can be found as well.

By using the plants and animals that were available to them and by developing practices that realized the land's full potential, the Hopi people adapted to a high-plateau desert way of life.

Desert Agriculture

The Hopi peoples live on land that is both beautiful and majestic, but the environment presents enormous problems for those dependent on farming. The Southwestern region is extremely dry with little water. A number of permanent springs in the area provide the people with drinking water but do not supply enough water to irrigate fields. No permanent rivers or streams flow through Hopi territory.

Erosion and overuse of the land has diminished the region's plant life. The land of the Hopi now mainly consists of dry grasslands and mesas. The land supports a variety of plants adapted to extremely dry areas, while the canyons - punctuated with springs, washes, and occasional streams - support cottonwood, willow, and cattails.

Rain is the only source of water for the Hopi farmlands, but rain alone cannot support the Hopi. Annual rainfall averages less than 10 inches per year. In some years, drought causes the crops to fail. In other years, torrential summer downpours drown the young and growing plants. The people hope for a season of balanced precipitation.

The Hopis' survival has been inextricably bound to favorable weather conditions. In the scattered areas of fertile soil, the Hopi grow corn, pumpkin, beans, chile peppers, peaches, gourds, watermelons and squash, looking to the Katsinas to favor them with rain.

Corn Planting and Preparation

In the autumn the corn is harvested and spread out, sometimes on rooftops, to dry in the sun. The ears are then stacked like cordwood in storage areas to be used throughout the year until the next season’s crop is ripe.  After the dried kernels are shelled, they are boiled or ground into meal.