Tiswin is also the sacred saguaro wine of the Tohono O'odham, a group of aboriginal Americans who reside primarily in the Sonoran Desert of the southeastern Arizona and northwest Mexico.
The saguaro, the largest cactus in the world, is in many respects the sacred tree of the Tohono O'odham, who reside in the Sonoran Desert of southeastern Arizona and northwest Mexico.
The old Apache recipe for making tiswin called for soaking the kernels of maize (Zea mays subsp.
After roasting, the corn would then be coarsely ground and put inside a large, earthenware crock, where 4 gallons of water were added.
When the saguaro festival arrived, these earthenware vessels were opened and the syrup mixed with water and allowed to ferment, making tiswin.