Early people probably domesticated rice from wild plants that grew
in
southwestern China and on the Indochinese peninsula. From the site of
an
ancient village in China’s Chang (Yangtze) River valley, archaeologists
have excavated rice grains that date back to 5000 BC. Rice grew
throughout
Asia and was carried to western Europe eventually, and on to South
America
by the Spanish and Portuguese. Africans brought to the American
colonies
as slaves planted, tended and harvested the rice fields of South
Carolina
from the 1600’s to the 1800’s. Today Arkansas produces one-third of the
rice grown in the U.S.
Rice grows most easily in wetlands and official flooded fields
called
“paddies.” From earliest times, rice farming required time and
cooperative
labor.
Rice cartoon plant overlooking an
Indonesian family having dinner
with a large rice pot in the middle of the table.
Cover illustration: "Long Journey to Your Dining
Table" by Maria Elvire, Penerbit PT publishers, Jakarta,
1992
Rice
kernels once planted germinate and the foot tall seedlings are
transplanted a foot apart.
Photo from "Glorious Grasses" by Meredith Hughes
Transplanting a rice seedling.
Planting seedlings in Japan (early
20th ct.) (HFCA)
Rice field irrigation system in
Phillipines, early 20th century.
Japanese
print (mid 20th century) rice hand harvest.
Mechanical rice harvester.
This is a handheld blade in a piece of
carved wood.
Hiding this rice cutting blade in the hand would not disturb
the rice spirits according to Indonesian tradition.
This is an image of the Indonesian rice
god "Dewi Sri."
This is a drawing of a rice threshing
machine in Indonesia.
Processing rice in India: girl at
top is husking rice and the two in front are grinding it into flour.
Top left: rice lunch container from Laos; top right: Chinese
plastic
rice bowl, lower: Indonesian rice serving spoon made from water
buffalo horn (HFCA)
Rice sellers in India, early 20th
century.
Rice eaters, outdoor stand, China, 19th century.
Pounding rice with traditional wooden
mallet to make Mochi, the
Japanese New Year food.
There are many rice ceremonies and festivals held around the world.
This is the royal Thai rice planting ceremony held annually in
Bangkok.
The Thai rice planting ceremony has been
commemorated on money and stamps.
Some more currency with rice scenes
including from top to bottom: Guyana, Indonesia and Laos (2).
These are a selection of the dozens of
postage stamps featuring rice, from left:
Thailand, Phillipines, Malaysia, The Gambia and Indonesia.
Coins featuring rice. From
left: Thailand, Vietnam (2).
Rice is eaten all over the world. Among the thousands of popular
dishes we present just one
Arroz de leche, Mexican rice pudding. (Glorious Grasses: The
Grains.)
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