The Mythology of Maiz Part I

Artist Jose Antonio Burciaga (b. 1940) served as a Resident Fellow at Casa Zapata during the mid 1980s to 1994.  Location: Casa Zapata Dining Hall, left side wall.

The following is by Jose Antonio Burciaga, reprinted from a brochure describing the Last Supper of Chicano Heroes and Mythology of Maiz.

“The three walls of this mural are united by the symbol of maíz, the corn on which the great masses of people in the Américas have sustained themselves over the centuries.”

The left wall, “The Mythology of Maíz,” was inspired by several different indigenous myths involving corn. For example, the human figures at the center and at the bottom allude to a story from the Mayan Popol Vuh describing the creation of humankind from maíz.”  (Jose Antonio Burciaga, 1987)

This 15’ x 12’ mural was conceived and planned in 1985 for the Casa Zapata Dining Hall. Approval for a mural on the mythology and history of maiz was obtained from the student residents. Work on the mythology mural was initiated in January 1987 and finished in May 1987.

The mythology of maíz forms the first part of a triptych mural that continues on two adjoining walls with the history of maíz.

“Hundreds of myths surround maíz. They range from North American Indian mythology to Aztec and Mayan mythology. The few myths in this mural have a central emphasis on the Mayas. Taken from the Popol Vuh, the following are short versions:

Creation of mankind was first attempted out of wood, but too much was used and wooden humans were not able to thank God. The second humans were created out of clay (bottom right figure), and again were not able to offer thanks and so were not given life. The third time, nine men and nine women were created from maiz. Their eyes were clouded until they could thank the Gods. Actual models were used for the two figures flying from the nucleus of creation. The woman, a San Francisco model, takes a more aggressive pose than the younger Stanford male student.”

“According to another legend from the Popol Vuh, the secret of corn was held by the black ants. When Quetzalcoatl found out, he transformed himself into a red ant, went into their underground caves and absconded with a grain of corn. There are various versions of this legend. One is that the ants were red and Quetzalcoatl converted himself into a black ant.”