Nahua Foodways - Maize as Tribute and Food Scarcity in central Colonial Mexico

Maize was, and still is, of great cultural and spiritual importance to many Mesoamerican indigenous peoples, playing a major role in creation myths. In pre-colonial times, it formed the basis of a diverse diet, along with other staples such as beans and squash. Early colonial manuscripts describe maize as a marker of development for many indigenous groups.  Early on, the Spanish saw the consumption of European foods such as wheat in the Americas as central to their diet and Catholic rituals, while eating American plants was considered dangerous and linked to fears of 'becoming an Indian'. This was part of a wider hierarchy of food associated with ideas of health, religion and race. In addition, indigenous ways of working the land were often replaced by European forms of agriculture, which were seen as superior. 
This paper traces colonial transformations in the use of maize by the Nahua of central Mexico, focusing on two processes. First, maize remained important for tribute payments and as currency. We can glean this role from early colonial codices, such as the Codex Mendoza, as well as from administrative documents. Second, there were periodic shortages of the staple food maize, which contributed to riots in major cities such as Mexico City and Tlaxcala. Then again, the causes of such riots were manifold, ranging from the corruption of the colonial authorities to the massive flooding of Lake Tezcoco. In this talk, I will show how Spanish colonial policies affected the uses of maize - while also highlighting the larger political and environmental upheavals that shaped maize foodways.

All welcome - This event is free, but booking is required.