12 Native American Beauty Secrets

03

of 12

Blue Corn

corn field
corn field

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Corn was very important in ancient Native American life and still is today. In addition to being used as food, it was also used for religious ceremonies like the naming ceremonies of babies, and marriage and funeral rituals. Corn was actually considered a deity in some cultures and a clan symbol for certain tribes. For the Hopi, it represented the Eastern rising sun and the beginning of life and wisdom.

Called flour corn, blue corn is coarser than yellow or white corn and is used for flours and cornmeal. Many Native Americans used ground corn to cleanse and purify the skin. It was rubbed onto the skin before ceremonies to rid the body of impurities. Ground corn may also be used as an exfoliator.