Seneca Blue Bear Dance Corn
Zea mays
 
This rare Six Nations corn variety originated from the Brantford/Ohsweken area of Ontario (Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve). The late Andrew Bomberry, who lived there, shared seed samples with Steven McComber, a Canadian Mohawk member of Seed Savers Exchange, from whom we acquired seed many years ago.
 
Since this multi-colored corn had no specific name yet was an intrinsic part of Seneca ceremonial healing practices associated with the Bear Dance Society, McComber gave it the name this corn bears today.  The corn coloration is quite variable; most of the cobs in our strain produce a mix of kernel colors ranging from white, to deep rose, violet, and dark blue. The average cob length is six inches. Some cobs produce solid blue-black kernels as shown in our photo.  This is the color most in use among the Senecas today because the variegated corns are becoming harder to find.  Regardless of color variations, this corn is made into a pudding employed by the Bear Dance Society during rites to heal sick individuals, thus its use is both ceremonial and nutritional.
 
From a culinary standpoint, Blue Bear Dance corn makes excellent cornmeal, porridge, and bread, and mixes well with wild-harvest fruits such as blackberries, huckleberries, and the like. It is delicious when cooked with wild turkey and hickory nuts.  Due to the short height of the plants (5 to 6 feet) they are also well suited for corn hills and inter-planting with climbing beans. Allow 90 to 95 days from planting to dry seed harvest.
 
~200 seeds per packet.