Corn is to Pueblo people what the buffalo has always been to the Plains Indians, the very symbol of LIFE. In Zuni mythology, the Corn Maidens brought this gift and many of the carvings of women, especially those with a criss-cross pattern on the body, are carved to pay homage to the Corn Maidens.
The Zuni people have a story about eight corn maidens. The young women are invisible but their beautiful dancing movements can be seen when they dance with the growing corn as it waves in the wind. One day, the young god Paiyatemu fell in love with the maidens and they fled from him. While they were gone, a terrible famine spread across the land. Paiyatemu begged the maidens to turn back and they returned to the Zuni and resumed their dance. As a result, the corn started to grow again.
These are my Corn Maidens. The one on the left is coral and she is 2 1/2 inches tall. The one on the right is shell and she is 1 3/4 inches tall. Since it is getting to be corn harvesting time, I thought I would share them and their story with you! :)
Linking up with Madge for Weekly Top Shot, Nancy for Your Sunday Best and Jan for Straight Out Of the Camera Sunday.
Information from Myth Encyclopedia and Zuni Art websites.
16 comments:
thank you for sharing these! what a neat bit of culture and lore. :)
There is so much neat stuff out there to learn. Thanks for sharing some of it with us.I really enjoyed the story.The maidens are cute too.
They are wonderful! I'm so glad you shared the story to go along with them.
I find the mythologies of native peoples fasinating! Have you read The Hopi Survival Kit by Thomas Mails? Amazing read!!!
I've never heard of this before. I will have to tell my granddaughter so she can dance along with them if we go by a field.
Lovely keepsakes, Candy, and love the backstory!
Thanks for sharing at YSB this week. xo
I love to read about Native American lore...thanks for sharing!
Beautiful Zuni fetishes. Such a wonderful story.
This is very cool. My daughter and her husband live and work in Zuni, NM. I love hearing about these people and their traditions.
Oh, thank you! Just love Native American mythology. Love corn too. :)
That's interesting stuff! Thanks for sharing!
Candy I am glad you shared those and the story. I in the 80s had home decorated in Native Indian decor collected a few pieces and have always had a soft spot in my heart for them and how our ancestors treated them. I always wanted Zuni artifacts those were always the prettiest. Thanks for this lesson in tribal custom love it!
Dolly
That is neat. Thanks for explaining too.
Interesting.
Congrats on your sunshiny nomination!
Wonderful pieces, the coral is so bright..I love the details! Thank you for sharing on Weekly Top Shot #39!
This was just so fascinating, Candy! I loved reading about the corn maidens. I am so "into" Indian culture...we have to talk some time about that! Oh, and tell TexWisGirl she can just be jealous of me, too, because we'll be heading to the Farmer's Market one weekend before you know it, to get some more of your delicious goodies! :-)
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