Drawing the sowing of corn- everyday tales of agricultural production in Mexico

Abstract

This document deals with the identification of knowledge, cognitive structure or schemes linked to the corn sowing that takes place as part of the everyday life of children living in a semi-rural Mexican community named San Andrés de la Cal, located in the state of Morelos. Part of a research project, this document draws on how the children represent the corn sowing which has taken place in those fertile lands since pre-columbian times, and represents a very important characteristic for all Mesoamérica. San Andrés has generated a huge variety of native corn seeds. These are the product of experimentation and exchange through several generations of farmers., This tradition is transferred to young people of school age in their daily, productive and familiar life. With the purpose of getting information about the corn sowing, an activity was carried out in which the children drew (represent) their personal and familiar experiences of corn sowing. This article shows how the drawing started as a specific resource and became a valuable strategy of investigation, in obtaining narratives of their daily and productive life.