The cultivation of tsiri

National
The corn flour and the vision of the world
The cultivation of tsiri
Por: Carlos Damián Septiembre 22, 2010
The tortilla craft
México. - In the region known as Lake of Patzcuaro in the center of Michoacan, the agriculture traditional peasant based on the cultivation indigenous - native corn This system permits the maintenance of the activity cattle-raising and the food chain corn - tortilla craft. In this is auto -employ some 650 women, the majority family bosses - matriarchy system -, that displace some 30 annual tons of corn of at least three indigenous races: conical, chalqueño and purhepecha. In this region are maintained at least six indigenous corn races, that represent ten percent of the registered at domestic level, and are distributed strategically in 230 localities that compose the zone.

The maintenance of this diversity of native corn in the region permits take advantage the different agro – environments present in the zone, in addition to that offers an adjustment opportunity to the climatic change, since have to be resistant indigenous varieties to floods, frosts, of short and long cycle. However due to the programs of government have been gone extinguishing some indigenous kinds, especially the color corns as: the type purhepecha of black color, “pinto”, yellow and purple, or the black type corn on the cobs conical.

It has been organizing a social Net called Tsiri (corn Grain), to defend to the native corn, and they have been transacted economic supports for improved wood fuel cooking stoves type Patsari, in order to improve the occupational conditions of the women that are devoted to this trade.

The caterpillar, and the flowers
Of a shrub located in the border of a peasant plot decent a small multiple colors caterpillar, yellow, white, black, and colored, that as rings were covering it. To be dragged between the ruts it was surprised of the quantity of plants that were growing to its contour. To the caterpillar was astounding to it the yellow color at the flowers, similar to the sunlight that was illuminating it each tomorrow. For be this rich light in colors was asked rustling: If the yellow color is the best of all, what for the flowers that we find in the field not at all are yellow flowers? In spite of whispering its personal question, of a nearby plant left a voice that was saying to it: "I am “ayote” flower, in other sides call me gourd; I am not from red color, but my yellow petals are very appetite to eat and when I give you fruit, the gourds also they are used by many animal to be fed".

Other voices was listened about there: "We are the mint, rarely do we arrive to have flower but the green of my leaves has a flavor and an important smell for the kitchen of the human and to make to rest them in the evening". "To my say me the “epazote”, was saying the voice that was originating of a green shrub that was in the corner of the plot. To me gather me and cut the arms to alleviate to the men and women of some parasites that call amebas". A gilded spike appeared in the horizon and spoke thus: "We are the flower of the corn; the fruit that leaves of us in the form of corn on the cob has served to feed to thousands of communities by ten thousand years. The American continent owes us much of the culture and nourishment, due to our fruit, due to love with which sow us, this works wonders and thus we produce color fruits: yellow, red, white and black. For this already there were several insects that were accompanying to the caterpillar, and they exclaimed to choir: That is, we did not know it!

The spike of the corn continued saying: "well with us they are cultivated the chili, the bean and the gourd. The gourd and the chili are about the gully and the chili about creek, and we are in “milpa”. Friends are not removed, and listen all are different and we are important!" Then the small caterpillar with its friends saw with other eyes the diversity of colors and forms that there was in the plot, and in the field. It was as anxious by be converted into butterfly, to flutter on the flowers with its wings, to feel the freedom and be astounded with the colors that gives to it the pacha mama. Of the multiple color flowers, of the fig that it is black, of the lemon that it is green and yellow when mature, of the flower of the gourd, that it is yellow. (La Jornada, del campo, p.p. 9-11, July 17, 2010).