Ethnoecology of Maize and Language Diversity among the Maya

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9976892Brush This pilot project involves cultural anthropologists from the University of California-Davis studying the relationship between cultural diversity in Mesoamerica and diversity in crop species. The general hypothesis to be tested is that cultural differences involve different farming practices which result in different races of corn (maize) being cultivated. The researchers will study maize farmers in three locations in Chiapas, Mexico, two Mayan Indian and one non-Indian Mestizo community. The researchers, working with Mexican colleagues from ECOSUR, a southern Mexican research institution, will interview farmers whose primary language is Tzeltal, Tzotzil (two local Mayan Indian languages corresponding to different local cultures) and Spanish, in two altitude zones, from 1000 to 1800 meters and above 1800 meters. Between 15 and 30 households in each of 4-5 communities in each language group, for a total of 12-16 communities will be sampled according to language, altitude and relation to market centers or urban services. Respondents will be asked to rank different maize varieties according to agronomic and cultural criteria (yield, risk, storage, cooking quality, etc. ). Collections will be made of the different varieties of maize encountered. This research will advance our understanding of this important food crop in the general region where it was first domesticated. The new knowledge to be created will be valuable in planning programs to preserve genetic diversity of maize as a resource for the future.