Popcorn: The Cracking Corn Story from Peru
Perusa and Peruso are bored in Cusco. Then a kernel of corn falls into the fire, makes a pop, and suddenly the world is much crispier.
Boredom in Cusco
It was a quiet afternoon in Cusco, and Perusa and Peruso were bored again. After surviving Ollantaytambo and the great sleeping giant, they thought there was nothing more exciting to experience.
They sat on a stone in front of their house, wondering how to make the day more exciting.
"Do you know what I don't understand?" Peruso asked, twisting an ear of corn between his hands. "Why are there so many different types of corn?"
"Maybe because corn is very smart," Perusa said. "Or because adults are constantly growing things, sorting them, and finding them important."
"Then today we'll invent popping corn!" Peruso exclaimed.
Fact Check Before the Pop
Exploding Corn?
Perusa frowned. "Exploding corn? What good will that do?"
"Well, imagine that!" Peruso said enthusiastically. "A kernel of corn that goes Pop! and then becomes huge!"
"That sounds like a mess," Perusa replied. "So, exactly one of your ideas."
Suddenly, Perusa had an idea. "Maybe the corn needs heat. Not in your mouth, Peruso. In the fire. Science is better when no one gets crispy."
The experiment begins
"We'll throw some kernels into a bowl over the fire," Perusa said. "But carefully."
"Careful is my middle name," Peruso said.
Perusa looked at him.
"Okay," Peruso admitted. "My third. Maybe."
The Corn Experiment
The two searched for dry twigs and made a small fire. Then they placed a few corn kernels in a bowl. Perusa watched. Peruso was already looking for cover.
"Okay, now we wait," Perusa said.
"What if they really explode?" Peruso asked. "Maybe we should build a protective wall. A small Sacsayhuamán wall. Just for snacks."
But before they could think about it, they heard a Pop! Then another Pop! and another. The corn kernels jumped wildly in the bowl and suddenly became large, white, and crispy.
"What is THAT?!" Peruso cried.
"That's popped corn," Perusa said. "And it smells better than your last plan."
Crispy Discovery
Peruso grabbed one of the freshly popped kernels and tried it. "This tastes incredible! It's light, it's crispy. It's like eating clouds."
"Clouds with a corn flavor," Perusa said. "Not bad at all."
"We've changed the world!" Peruso cried.
"Hold on," Perusa said. "Maybe people discovered this before us."
"Who?"
"Very old people on the coast of Peru. Really, very old. Much older than the Incas."
Peruso nodded slowly. "Then we didn't invent it. But we just enthusiastically rediscovered it."
Popcorn and the Ancient People of Peru
Archaeological findings show that people on the northern coast of present-day Peru used corn a very long time ago, including early forms of popcorn. Finds from Paredones and Huaca Prieta are particularly important.
These finds are approximately 6,700 years old, making them much older than the Inca Empire. So the Incas were not the inventors of popcorn. But corn later became enormously important for the Andean world: as food, as a supply, for festivities, and for power.
Perusa's Fact Summary
Popcorn is not an Inca patent. But Peru is one of the most exciting places when it comes to very old popcorn and corn finds.
Peruso calls it: "not invented, but excellently crunched."
Popcorn in Cusco
Of course, Perusa and Peruso couldn't keep their discovery a secret. Soon, neighbors were standing in front of their house, wanting to try the new corn thing.
"How did you do that?" asked an old woman.
"Heat, corn, pop," Peruso explained importantly. "And a little courage."
"And a Perusa who makes sure no one spills the bowl," Perusa added.
The Great Sapa Inca Test
In the story, even Pachacútec heard about the crispy stuff. Historically, this is, of course, Perusa's adventure version. But in stories, popcorn can travel all the way to the Sapa Inca, as long as the fact box isn't offended.
Pachacútec took a handful and tried it.
"Light. Crispy. Practical for feasts," he said.
Peruso whispered, "I think he likes it."
Perusa nodded. "Of course. It's corn with a surprise."
The First Popcorn Festival in Peruso's Head
A short time later, Peruso imagined the biggest popcorn festival in the empire. In his imagination, people came from all corners to celebrate the popping, crispy corn marvel.
There was plain popcorn, popcorn with honey, and popcorn that Wolli the llama almost completely swiped by accident.
Remember this
- Popcorn is very old. In Peru, there is archaeological evidence of early forms of popcorn from about 6,700 years ago.
- The Incas did not invent popcorn. The Inca Empire arose much later.
- Corn was very important in the Andes. Food, supplies, festivals, and agriculture were closely linked to it.
- Not all corn pops. Popcorn needs specific corn varieties with suitable husks and moisture in the kernel.
- Perusa and Peruso are telling a story. The facts stand politely by and watch.
Perusa's and Peruso's Popcorn Rule
Corn is good. Popping corn is better. But a llama nearby always means danger for the snack supply.
Perusa and Peruso remember: We didn't invent popcorn. But we did a very convincing job of acting like it was our best experiment.
(c) by PeruMagazin
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- Smithsonian Institution: Ancient Popcorn Discovered in Peru
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: Preceramic maize from Paredones and Huaca Prieta, Peru
- National Geographic: Ancient Popcorn Found in Peru
- eLife: Domestication and lowland adaptation of coastal preceramic maize from Paredones, Peru
- PeruMagazin: History of Peru and Inca topics as internal context