Research Paper_Jaejoong Kim

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Kim 1 Jaejoong Kim Professor Marston AR 280 22 August 2023 The Influence of Colonialism on Indigenous Food Systems Colonialism influences food traditions and practices in indigenous communities. Colonialism brought about social and cultural changes that influence food practices and lifestyles in indigenous communities. The research paper investigates the complex relationship between colonialism and indigenous food systems, exploring how colonial powers introduced new crops, agricultural practices, and food habits that change the food traditions of the indigenous people in the West. The paper addresses the research question, “What were the effects of colonialism on the food traditions of indigenous populations in North America and Canada?” The paper seeks to demonstrate how colonialism shaped global food systems through the restructuring of indigenous food traditions to create a new food regime of Western cuisines. In addition, the paper explores how colonialism shaped the cultural and nutritional practices of the Aboriginal communities in Canada to offer archaeological evidence of the association between colonialism and food regimes in the world. Colonialism marks a crucial time in human history when the expansion of colonial powers into indigenous territories led to emergent food regimes. Colonization led to a restructuring of territories as part of the broader goals of colonization for capitalist gains. There is a disconnect between colonized people and how colonial influences shaped people’s diet and health perceptions. Colonial powers introduced novel crops and eating habits which revolutionized traditional food practices. In a study to bridge the gap between colonialism and its 1

Kim 2 influence on indigenous food lifestyles, Warbrick, Heke, & Breed argue that colonialism changes indigenous food practices, norms, and habits. Despite the idea that traditional diets are healthier and more nutritious, indigenous people got assimilated into the food practices of colonial powers. The colonial powers introduced new crops, agricultural practices, and dietary habits that altered traditional ways of eating. Colonialists occupied fertile farmlands and controlled trade, causing profound influence of colonialism on indigenous food systems. The new crops and agricultural practices, and food cuisines brought about cultural, nutritional, and societal ramifications. Colonialism, defined by European expansion into new territories, resulted in profound transformations of indigenous societies, including their food systems. Historical texts provide rich details about the shifts in indigenous food practices toward western eating habits. In his book, Food in World History , Jeffrey M. Pilcher offers a thorough exploration of the evolution of food regimes over time. The text details the shifts in dietary practices, culinary traditions, food trade networks, and trade routes that led to the loss of traditional food sovereignty and the emergence of new trends. Pilcher provides insights into the link between food and societal changes to demonstrate the significant influence of colonialism on indigenous food practices. Colonial powers frequently saw indigenous agricultural practices as inferior, seeking to exert control over both production methods and consumption patterns among native populations through foreign crop introduction, imposition of diet guidelines, and alteration of production techniques (Pilcher n.p.). Colonialism had a profound and lasting impact on indigenous food systems through the introduction of new crops. European colonizers, motivated by economic interests, often prioritized cultivating cash crops such as coffee, sugar, and tea for export purposes as part of their subsistence farming practices. The settlers forced the indigenous 2

Kim 3 populations to shift from subsistence farming towards export-oriented agriculture which only benefited the colonialists. Food systems such as cash crops brought financial gains to colonial masters while disrupting the ecological balance of indigenous ecosystems. The shifts left the indigenous populations vulnerable in times of crop failure due to potential food scarcity and lifestyle diseases. In indigenous territories in North America and Canada, populations were assimilated into colonialists' food practices. Colonialists imposed colonial standards about food practices that were projected as the ideal way of life. Despite resilience and resistance, indigenous communities got assimilated to colonial foods that changes their eating practices and beliefs. As a result, there was an emerging food dependency on colonialists that led to challenging social and material conditions in colonial America (Robinson 17). Colonial diets led to the introduction of unhealthy diets that are attributed to lifestyle diseases such as obesity and negative body image as colonial standards alter traditional beliefs of the ideal body. Indigenous studies portray indigenous foods as sovereign to challenge colonial food notions. From a comparative perspective, indigenous foods had little value addition in the supply chain which maintained nutritional value (Daigle 297). Upon the arrival of the settlers, indigenous populations lost their food sovereignty to colonialism as new cuisines emerged that changed traditional food lifestyles. One important aspect of colonized food systems is the resilience of indigenous people in preserving their food traditions. There is evidence that Canadian Aboriginals have made efforts to regain their traditional food notions as the pain of unhealthy lifestyles strikes their communities. Many Canadian Aboriginals have reshaped their indigenous notions of well-being by going back to their food traditions to deal with the pain of contemporary food practices (Dennis & Robin 4). In so doing, the Aboriginal people are reviving green food regimes that 3

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Kim 4 protect the environment and the well-being of the people. Colonial food systems dramatically replaced traditional food practices, as indigenous communities struggled to maintain their indigenous food notions. The Canadian Aboriginal people lost their traditional food practices and have continued to struggle with inequities in social, economic, and political contexts. The assimilation of the Aboriginal people led to the loss of Aboriginal life and traditional food notions, exposing them to socio-economic inequalities (MacDonald and Steenbeek 32). The shift to colonial food practices and the associated health pains are the reason why social movements are building notions of protecting the sovereignty of traditional foods to move away from exotic appetites. Archaeological evidence points to natural disasters and territorial conflicts as a cause for changes in food practices during colonial times. In her book, Eating for Victory: Food Rationing and Domesticity , Amy Bentley explores rationing during times of conflict. Bentley sheds light on colonial powers' control and manipulation of food resources at the expense of indigenous people. The text illuminates how the colonialists used the food system as a tool to control indigenous populations. The colonialists used food systems to assimilate the indigenous populations into their exotic food cultures with spill-over effects into social, economic, and political spheres of life (Bentley 330). Colonial economic and political policies on farming and trade led to dramatic changes in traditional food practices as people got assimilated to colonial standards of food, eating, and drinking habits. The impact of colonialism on indigenous food systems was not uniform across communities and territories. The colonial influence differed widely depending on regions and communities. A comparative approach to diverse regions with varied colonial experiences demonstrates differences in the evolution of food regimes. Regimes with direct colonial rule had 4

Kim 5 different colonial impacts compared to territories with colonialists’ indirect influence (Pilcher n.p.). The biggest influence of colonialism on indigenous food practices was the introduction of foreign crops and practices by colonial powers. The settlers controlled agricultural practices to increase agricultural output, which led to profound implications for food systems. Traditional subsistence farming gave way to cash crops for exportation, upsetting the balance in indigenous communities and changing social dynamics significantly. As a result, there were changes in food security, self-sufficiency, and cultural practices that shaped modern food regimes worldwide. One of the keyways in which colonialism affected indigenous food systems was through its imposition of foreign diets. Processed foods and new cooking techniques revolutionized traditional culinary practices. Case studies from different regions show significant marginalization of indigenous knowledge regarding local flora and fauna. The new trends led to the loss of traditional wisdom about food systems. Changes to indigenous diets often had adverse consequences for nutritional health. Indigenous communities faced the difficulty of adapting to new dietary patterns that did not match up with their needs, leading them into cycles of malnutrition and related health concerns that persisted into perpetuity (Pilcher n.p.). The socioeconomic consequences shaped lives even further for indigenous communities. Colonialism had far-reaching ramifications beyond agriculture, shaping cultural perceptions about food. Under colonial rule, diverse food cultures came together and created new culinary hybrids, offering insight into the colonial complex impact as local and foreign elements interwove to form new food identities. The new food habits changed how communities viewed themselves and their heritage. Colonial powers also brought new agricultural practices that dramatically transformed indigenous territories. Monoculture farming and large-scale land clearance for cash crop cultivation had lasting repercussions, including the displacement of 5

Kim 6 traditional foods by cash crops. Traditional knowledge about sustainable agricultural practices was suppressed by colonial ideals as indigenous communities were forced to adopt new farming methods. The new agricultural practices exacerbated ecological degradation and food insecurity in indigenous communities. Colonial diets shaped the cultural identities and nutritional health of indigenous communities. Traditional foods and culinary practices were replaced by European dietary practices, leading to a loss of heritage and identity. Indigenous populations were coerced into adopting foreign foods with a lower nutritional value which create health problems. The disruption of indigenous food systems led to physical suffering as well as to an erosion of cultural connections between food and identity. In Canada, the Aboriginal population proved to be resilient in the face of cultural upheaval. The communities integrated new crops into existing food systems by adapting them to local tastes and practices. The indigenous population did not give up on shaping their food narratives and challenging colonial notions of superiority (Robinson 15). Reviving traditional crops and practices among contemporary indigenous movements serves as evidence that they remain committed to maintaining cultural food identity. The indigenous studies on food regimes represent archaeological evidence that the Eurocentric approach to culinary practices and traditions stigmatized traditional dietary norms. Yet, the indigenous populations survived the cultural upheaval by responding with anti-colonialist social movements to reclaim their heritage. The realization that exotic foods had lower nutritional value led to movements to remedy malnutrition, food insecurity, and identity. Today, indigenous communities are known for their organic foods and sustainable agricultural practices to protect their natural ecosystem ( Grey and Patel 432). Despite the existence of exotic culinary practices, indigenous people have maintained their traditional foods and cooking practices to assert their 6

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Kim 7 cultural identity in the face of external pressures. From food production to distribution, indigenous people have survived power dynamics to ensure that their traditional crops and diets do not get extinct. While most of the indigenous people languish in poverty, evidence demonstrates the need for integrated food systems to meet both traditional and exotic demands. There is a relationship between colonialism and shifts in indigenous food systems that are marked by both destruction and resilience. The introduction of new crops altered agricultural practices and imposition of dietary norms have drastically transformed traditional food practices, cultural identity, and nutritional health. The indigenous communities' persistence in adapting and maintaining food traditions demonstrates the enduring strength of cultural connections with food. Colonialism shaped the evolution of the world's food systems, with settlers displacing traditional foods, agricultural practices, and cooking techniques with new food norms. While the introduction of new crops and value addition to create exotic cuisines increased food diversity, colonialism created social inequalities that continue to affect indigenous communities. The socio-economic inequalities in food systems left indigenous people in poverty and lifestyle diseases. The historical shifts in food practices due to direct and indirect colonial influence shaped the world's food regimes. Colonialism created complex historical interactions with indigenous to shape food regimes integral to exotic and traditional food practices. 7

Kim 8 Works Cited Bentley, Amy. "Eating for Victory: Food Rationing and the Politics of Domesticity." University of Illinois Press, 2018. Daigle, Michelle. "Tracing the terrain of Indigenous food sovereignties." The Journal of Peasant Studies 46.2 (2019): 297-315. Dennis, Mary Kate, and Tabitha Robin. "Healthy on our terms: Indigenous wellbeing and the colonized food system." Journal of Critical Dietetics 5.1 (2020): 4-11. Grey, Sam, and Raj Patel. "Food sovereignty as decolonization: Some contributions from Indigenous movements to the food system and development politics." Agriculture and human values 32 (2015): 431-444. MacDonald, Cathy, and Audrey Steenbeek. "The impact of colonization and western assimilation on health and wellbeing of Canadian Aboriginal people." International Journal of Regional and Local History 10.1 (2015): 32-46. Pilcher, Jeffrey M. "Food in World History." Routledge, 2012. Robinson, Margaret. "The big colonial bones of Indigenous North America’s “obesity epidemic”." Thickening Fat . Routledge, 2019. 15-28. 8