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Sister Corn For centuries, corn was the staple grain of the Americas, and it has sustained generations of Iroquois people. Iroquois women raised several colors and varieties of corn, including flint, flour, pod, pop, and sweet. Every part of the ear of corn was used. Women braided the husks for rope and twine and coiled them into containers and mats. Shredded husks made good kindling and filling for pillows and mattresses. The corncobs served as bottle stoppers, scrubbing brushes, and fuel for smoking meat. Corn silk made hair for cornhusk dolls. Today corn continues to be an important part of Iroquois life. Many families have small gardens where they cultivate enough white corn for their needs, and some raise surplus corn for ceremonial use. For many Iroquois people, corn remains a sustainer of life.
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