Additional Resources about Corn:

Hard Copy and on the Web

Books:

• The Other Way to Listen by Byrd Baylor. Listening to the world of nature. Excerpt: "I used to know an old man who could walk by any cornfield and hear the corn singing." Picture book for ages 4 to 8. Paperback and hard cover. ISBN: 0689810539. Also available on audio cassette.
• Corn is Maize: The Gift of the Indians by Aliki. From the series Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science books. The author tells the story of corn: how Indian farmers thousands of years ago found and nourished a wild grass plant and made it an important part of their lives, how they learned the best ways to grow and store and use its fat yellow kernels, how they shared this knowledge with the new settlers of America. Picture book for young readers. Paperback. ISBN: 0064450260.
• Iroquois Foods and Food Preparation by F.W. Waugh. From the anthropological series, this book is about Iroquois foods and the customs connected with them. Published by Iroqrafts Limited.
• Iroquois Uses of Maize and Other Food Plants by A.C. Parker. These notes on the preparation and uses of maize and other vegetable foods by the New York and Canadian Iroquois were gathered during a period of 10 years by the writer. Published by Iroqrafts Limited.
• In the Three Sisters Garden: Native American Stories and Seasonal Activities for the Curious Child. A Common Roots Guidebook. Written by JoAnne Dennee with Jack Peduzzi and Julia Hand and illustrated by Carolyn Peduzzi. This book is a collection of hands-on, hearts-on seasonal stories, projects and activities for children and is designed for use by teachers, parents and community members. ISBN: 0787221759. Published by Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

Video:

• The Gift. Every since it was first nurtured from a grass by the Maya, corn has held a sacred place in the lives of Indigenous peoples in the Americas. Before colonization, corn was widely used as a beverage, a food staple, an oil and a ceremonial object. It was respected and revered as a critical part of creation. The Gift explores the powerful bond and spiritual relationship that continues to exist between people and corn. The video begins in North America on the traditional lands of the Six Nations Confederacy where viewers witness the planting of the corn and all the work and humor that accompany the community harvest. Through interviews, dance and song, The Gift is a beautiful exploration of the intertwined lives of people and corn, capturing the traditional, spiritual, economic and political importance of the sacred plant. (National Film Board, 1998).