Corn Husks and Childhood Memories

Holly Hogan


February 16, 2018


Prof. Santos


EN 101





This week our class had the lovely opportunity to step out of our texts and first-hand be a part of indigenous culture. A professor of Native-heritage on campus came into our class and generously devoted her time to teach us how to make corn husk dolls. I found it very interesting as we all peeled the damp husk into pieces, knotted and folded the thin sheets to form a body. Using thin strips of husk, we knotted and braided pieces to form arms and finish our dolls. It was quite funny how although we followed the same set of instructions, all of our dolls were unique in their way, earning their own sense of character. The dolls were faceless, due to the tradition that they remain so that it is left up to the owner of the doll to determine what the doll should look like. This reminded me of the craft I would engage in as a child.





As I sat there carefully crafting my corn husk doll, I was brought back in time to my childhood when I would create little fairy dolls out of knick-knacks around my house. I had a small kit and booklet that showed me how to make a body out of thin wire, and use big wooden beads as a head for the fairy and silk flower petals for skirts. My creativity soared beyond the confines of the kit. I was using other sorts of beads, different threads for hair, and small fabric scraps for clothing. I did draw little faces on the beads, but after a while decided not to, for reasons I am not sure of. This was just something small I happened to be reminded of when making corn husk dolls. It is always funny how an event, activity or moment can take us back to a memory.