Describe the agricultural traditions of the Hidatsa people of North America

Question

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Answer 1

In Hidatsa society, women were the primary farmers, with men participating only at special times like at harvesting. The river provided fish, mussels, and waterfowl; the rich floodplain bottomlands were used for extensive gardens. Hidatsa agricultural practices reflected centuries of experimentation. They recognized that fertile bottomlands that were exposed to flooding by the river were superior to the dry sod-bound prairie as planting sites. Fields were initially cleared of bush by cutting and burning. Crops were rotated among fields. The Hidatsa practiced weed control, crop and seed selection to maximize yields, and crop storage. Corn was planted in hills about 4 feet (1.2 meters) apart beginning in May. About seven kernels of corn were planted 4 inches (10 centimeters) deep in each hill. The Hidatsa saved harvested seed for planting the following spring and also observed the custom of putting away seed for two years for security in case of crop failure. Seed corn was selected from full plump ears, and only the larger uniform kernels from the center of the cob were saved for planting. The Indians planted each race of corn in separate fields to avoid mixing of corn types because they recognized that windblown corn pollen could travel to adjacent fields, creating a mixture of corn types.