Corn Grinding


Image Credit: Tyrell Descheney
Corn Grinding
During the process of a girl’s puberty ceremony, she is encouraged to grind her own corn. She is also helped with other family members and friends as they take turns grinding.
From the dried corn, she removes the kernels and places them between the stones. Pressing and pushing down in a repeating movement until the corn becomes grounded. Using the stone brush to sweep the cracked kernels back in place to be grounded more. It's also used to sweep the corn off the stones and into a pile. Starting over with placing more kernels on the stone.
While they grind corn, songs can be sung to make the process more enjoyable with the rhythm of the song. This is when some can tell her about responsibilities and such. Showing her to be strong she needs to be to provide for her kids and family when the time comes to using the stones.
The grounded corn is placed into a huge pile for them to mix into a batter for the cake.
For the boys ceremony, his mother is the one who grinds the corn for him while he is in the sweat.
This is just the basics of a portion of the ceremony itself. There's more to it but again, it all varies throughout Navajo land and Navajo families.
#WeAreStillHere #WeAreNavajo #NavajoPride
YOU ARE ON INDIGENOUS LAND
Welcome to #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth. The first thing you need to know is that our history isn't over. We are still here! Enter our Rock Your Mocs contest!
March is National Nutrition Month
Eat Healthy!
Join We Are Navajo in supporting healthy eating habits and making smart food choices! Learn More
Recent News
Stay In The Know
Sign up for texts and/or emails with local news and events, healthy living tips, life advice and more!
Thanks for signing up!
Utah Navajo Health System © 2021, All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy | Site Credits | Return Policy | Shipping Policy