Once again, I feel like my view point on not only history, but things in my everyday life is being reshaped. My outlook on the relationship between culture and food is new. In all three readings, Twiddy offers different stories and outlooks about how food influenced his relationship with his own history. How cooking came with singing and tradition and stories.
In conjunction with the podcast, the readings illuminated the different roles food can play in someones life. It can be a part of the the heavy prejudices and stereotypes that can come with unique cultures. Yet it can also be a way to connect with heritage and the past. Signature dishes can be more than just a yummy treat, they are a way of connecting with the people that came before.
What concerned me was how possible it seems that this important part of culture can slip away. Whether money and class prevents cultural dining, or just the popularity and ease of fast food, default American food seems to be the go to. Before reading this article I may have had a different opinion, but now I believe that it is imperative that the history of food remain intact.
The question it brings me to is how do we continue to celebrate the unique heritages and cultures through food? In a country where the default audience is based for white folks, there needs to be a way to make ethnic food as accessible and affordable as every other food. America has already stripped away and rewritten so much history, we need give people the ability to preserve their own.
I agree with you when you say that it seems the significance of different types of cultural foods/dishes are slipping away. At least in America we tend to “americanize” different types of food. Fast food is a part of that. I think it is important to remember the importance that food has to their respective cultures and to honor that through how we eat. Cause if we don’t that is just another part of different cultures we are erasing.
*Because
I find it very interesting how tangible things like food can connect a person to their ancestors. I think you did a great job touching on the perspective that reading something like this can give a person. I agree with the points made about the emotional impact of food or anything else that can connect a person to his or her past. I like the connection of social and economic stability to being able to connect to the past. I think this is very relevant today, and an interesting thing to think about after reading this.
I also found the the relationship between food and culture to be a fairly new concept to me. I always realized that different cultures were shown through their foods but this can also be a way to strip people of their culture. For example, the British national dish is chicken tikka masala which is actually an Indian dish created to appeal to British tastes. I like how you brought in the idea that the default audience is generally white people because that is definitely seen through changes in culturally authentic dishes.
I agree with your point that my outlook on food has been completely reshaped. I had never thought of food as deeply as Twitty made it to be through his writing. I agree that Twitty offered different outlooks about food influenced his relationship with his history because the stories did not give the same message.
Seeing how food intersects with culture and history to form an identity by connecting people to their heritage is really interesting. I believe that you did a great job by explaining how Twiddy offered different angles about how food affected his relationship with his history. I also agree with you on the point that food can affect someone’s life positively or negatively depending on whether there are negative stereotypes associated with it or positive historical bonds.