Selu (Corn)

What do corn and iPhones have in common? They’re both human creations. 

Here’s how Selu (Cherokee for corn) came to be -- as told by the Cherokee Nation and by Western science. 

Selu was a wife and mother. Every day, when her husband finished hunting, she cleaned the game at the river. One day, the couple heard their only child playing with another young person. Their son told them the other child came out of the water, called himself his older brother, and said his mother threw him in the river.

Selu and her husband knew this child came from the meat Selu cleaned at the river. They took the boy from the river and raised him as their own. But the boy was mischievous.

One day, the two brothers told Selu they were hungry. She picked up her basket and went to the storehouse to get food. The son who came from the river suggested the boys follow her. When they got to the storehouse and peeked through its walls, they saw Selu rub her stomach. Corn appeared in her basket. Then she rubbed under her arms. Beans filled her basket. The boys decided their mother was a witch and must be killed. 

When Selu returned home, she told the boys she knew they wanted to kill her. She said that after she was dead, they should make a big circle and drag her body around the outside seven times and around the inside seven times. Then, they should stay up all night and in the morning see that corn has grown. The boys killed their mother, but they didn’t follow her directions. They made seven small circles and dragged Selu’s body around them. They watched the corn all night and in the morning, corn grew wherever Selu’s blood had fallen. 

Selu is often called the Corn Mother because her blood gives life to corn and sustains Cherokee people. In Cherokee, “Selu” translates to “corn”. 

Because the boys did not follow Selu’s instructions, corn originated in one location: the Americas. Had they listened, it would have grown across the world for ancient civilizations. 

Scientists paint a different story for how corn was created, and it’s a little less harrowing. According to researchers, corn didn’t exist until about 9,000 years ago. 

Corn comes from Teosinte, a wild grass. Teosinte had small cobs and its kernels were sparse with a tough casing. People in (what’s now) the Guerrero State of Mexico domesticated Teosinte. 

Over thousands of years, these early agriculturalists selectively bred Teosinte plants to produce more kernels and for those kernels to have a softer casing. Teosinte has been propagated into the diversity of maize/corn varieties we have today: rainbows of colors and varieties of shape, yield, size, and growing conditions as it spread throughout the Americas.

We thank the Corn Mother and the early corn farmers from the Guerrero State for providing us with this crop.

Now, is there a better way to celebrate the vegetable than by making it into America’s favorite dessert? 

Keep reading to learn about other plants native to the Delmarva region like Tehim (Strawberry) and Ultsă΄gĭtă΄ útana (Devil’s Walking Stick).

Sources: Iwígara: The Kinship of Plants and People by Enrique Salmón, Smithsonian Magazine, The New York Times, BBC, The Journal of American Folklore, Jul.-Sep., 1888, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 97-108, Cherokee Images, ABC News: America’s Favorite Dessert Revealed

Selu (Corn) Ice Cream Recipe

2 large ears of fresh corn 

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

¾ cup maple syrup

5 large egg yolks

¼ teaspoon table salt

1-Cut the corn cobs in half. Slice the kernels from the cobs. Blend the kernels in a blender or food processor until they are a rough puree. 

2-Place the cobs in a saucepan with the milk, cream, pureed corn, and half of the maple syrup. Over medium-high heat, stir the mixture while it comes to a boil. It will enlarge in size, be careful it doesn’t boil over. 

3-Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it stand for 30 minutes. While the milk is steeping, whisk the yolks, salt, and remaining maple syrup together. 

4-Remove the cobs from the milk, but set them aside to use later. Reheat the milk mixture to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Whisk the hot milk into the yolk to ensure the yolks don’t curdle. 

5-Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon or spatula. 

6-Strain the custard through a fine strainer. Press on the solids to remove all of the liquid. Discard the solids. Add the cobs back to the custard. 

7-Let the mixture cool for at least four hours or overnight. 

8-Remove the cobs from the custard. Scrape the cream off of the cobs and back into the custard. Follow the instructions on your ice cream maker and add the corn mixture. 

9-Place the ice cream in a container, put plastic wrap over the surface, and freeze until firm. 

10-Enjoy! 

This recipe is an adaptation from Baking Sense and The New York Times