Beni shuub: corn people

Size: 80x150cm, 2.6x5ft

Weaver: Jacinto Gutiérrez (rip)

Materials and methods:  Criollo sheep wool spun in the mills of Tianguistengo and fine angora wool. Hand dyed using natural dyes: Béé (Dactylopius Coccus), Yauhtli (Tagetes lucida) and Xiuhquilitl (Indigofera Suffroticosa). Handwoven on a Zapotec style loom of the 16th century adapted from European styles. Woven using a 7 threads per inch reed and wool rayon blend for warp.

Design, patterns and symbols.

The idea of representing the tree of life with a corn plant tells about the creation story when people were made out of corn at the beginning of this current fifth sun; corn was the element of choice to host the human spirit that was blown into us from the gods of creation. As of 2022, corn is the most produced crop globally with 1.1 billion tons annually; so in fact, the world is fed by corn directly or indirectly. The world needs to heal its relationship with corn in order to heal the diruption to the life support systems of the earth, this means that corn should be grown more like the Milpa food system understood from an agroecology and holistic grazing perspectives. Ironically, Mexico is the center of origin of corn--it was taken from here to all corners of the world to feed people, cows... and then cars!-- but now it gets in return the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico due to Agricultural runnoff carried by the mississippi river from the of the Midwest of the USA. Healing our relationship with food means that we need to see the gulf of Mexico full of life again.