Justin and I were invited to Laura and Robin's wedding. The actual ceremony was held in a corn field where, after, we all picked corn and then tamped down the stalks. Rob and Laura are part of a co-op of about fifteen Oneida Nation families who hand plant and hand cultivate over three acres of Iroquois White corn. The traditional First Nation ceremony was my first. Justin and I both noticed that there was no mention of God during the ceremony, but Mother Earth and spirits. After picking corn we all went to the barn where we were treated to soup made from the dried corn (almost like hominy) and either smoked pork or turkey. Next, shucking. We sat in groups of six or eight and were taught how to shuck the corn so that it could be braided into stalks for drying. I learned to do a bit of the braiding too. Do you know just how heavy 65 eats of corn can be? An elder member of the tribe as well as family members of the bride and groom sat in each circle to ensure a sense of community. We were taught that we are to talk only about pleasant things, no quarreling, and no cuss words or alcohol...out of respect for one another and for the corn. It was a rainy, nasty cold day, but it was, in its own way, a lot of fun. A catered meal featuring several dishes of corn from last year's crop ended the festivities. Rob and Laura spent a month in Guanajuato last year and are planning to return for a month in just a few weeks. Wouldn't it be a hoot if we ran into them there?
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