1 . What foods do you use to celebrate with your family? Do you eat something special on your birthday or holidays? Among the Hopi people, many foods for special celebrations are made from corn.

The Hopi people are Native Americans who live in Black Mesa, Arizona, USA. They grow special types of corn with long roots (根), which help the corn reach water in the ground in the hot and dry desert (沙漠).     1     In fact, in Hopi tradition, corn is the first solid food a baby eats.

The Hopi use each color of corn for something different. For example, blue corn is used to make some traditional Hopi foods. Piki is one Hopi food made with blue com. It is like a paper-thin, rolled pancake.     2     When a new baby is born, cobs (玉米棒子) of white corn are placed in the baby’s cradle (摇篮).     3     When girls grow up, they grind (磨碎) com for four days as part of their Coming of Age Ceremony. The Hopi also grind com by hand for wedding ceremonies.

    4     For example, in some Hopi villages, women walk down the Mesa to gather water and firewood every day. Men in those villages run up to 40 miles to their farms every day to grow corn, bean, and chili pepper crops. Other Hopi live in modern homes and use modern technology in their daily lives.     5     Corn is an important part of Hopi life today.