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Jan 9, 2024

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Anthropology questions Q ) Why are anthropologists interested in food? A) Food has long been an important indicator of societal status, class and power, what a person eats, who they eat it with, what they have access to is very important in studying cultures and systems of people. It is an expression of cultural values and something they can readily take part in through ethnographic methods. It reﬂects and creates social hierarchy and is a central axl on which society wheels. Food is often a metaphor for cultural identity, when people are far from home the first thing they hold onto is recreating the food they used to eat. It decides what is aesthetic, beautiful and healthy (golden ears of rice in japan) and so it must be studied thoroughly to better understand societal systems. Q ) Identify Hospitality A) Hospitality is a key concept in a few of the readings we’ve covered, it makes a notable appearance when we talk about The taste of ethnographic things. Set in Western Africa we follow anthropologists in their studies of Songhay people and Djebo, a young girl in charge of their (un)hospitable visit. The Songhay take great pride in hosting their guests often at the cost of their own comfort, money is shelled out on the best meats ( a rarity) and good spices to make people feel grand and welcomed. In a culture where being hospitable grants the head of the family social status, being inhospitable (serving bad food, inadequate comfort) means directly challenging the heads authority, it is not mere acts of negligence but intentional acts of disapproval from djebo to serve bad food. When offered a shawl and shown kindness she reciprocates with a wonderful sauce, when denied the money she wanted she silently but very effectively expresses her disdain by withdrawing her hospitality. Hospitality is of key importance to the songhay and so it must be studied to fully understand how people are expressing themselves Q ) Identify ethnography A) Ethnography is a method of anthropology that can be read between the lines of many of the texts we have covered, most notably so in The taste of ethnographic things. Ethnography is a form of conducting anthropological studies from a holistic and empathetic view, we see this in how the antros immerse themselves in songhay culture, they stay in their compounds, work in their fields and eat with their people, they learn to gift money when appropriate and be careful not to break traditions, they indulge in daily conversation. They show a holistic observation, studying even the minute seemingly unimportant things like the taste of sauces,

the attitude and rivalry between moru and moussa, how djebo, a powerless teenager and her husband condem moru to eat bad sauces and protest when he eats elsewhere. There is a through encapsulation of texture and sensuality in the texts Q ) Identify Globalization A) Globalization is the process by which the world grows to be more interconnected and rapidly imports goods and products (thus culture) from one another. It is important to note that globalization often refers to the introduction of western culture into the east and rarely vice versa, globalization is not equal to all cultures. We see strong themes of globalization in our study of mcd in japan. We study how the introduction of mcdonalds did little to replace the food that japanese people eat at supper but had a sizeable impact on public manners. It became a place of grabbing food that is quick, convenient and not nutritional, vastly different from traditional manners and values, it gave way to eating while standing and eating alone. One restaurant and its depiction of americana has a big impact on the culture of japan, it didn't serve to ﬂatten out the traditional values or replace anything but rather altered public behaviour and introduced trends that have altered and embedded themselves alongside traditional values. Q ) Identify Commensality A) Commensality, the act of eating together, is a theme that undershadows many eating cultures across the world, and takes the spotlight on the tuscan table. In ﬂorence eating together means making social ties, making clear who is family and who isn't. The meals they share hold great importance to them, it allows for a convivial setting where one can talk of the highs and lows of their days, in a particular instance we hear a man talk about how his family often ends up having arguments while eating but he appreciates that because it allows for them to open up and talk where it’s otherwise diﬃcult for him to seek out his son. It holds space for dialogue and exchange. In another instance we read about a widowed woman who ate only to survive but when she had guests over she’d cook elaborate meals to ensure her guest were cared for. She saw eating alone as shameful, cooking for other people allowed her to gain back the social standing she felt she was missing, it did much to help grow her self image, it was hard for her to see herself standing alone. Eating together allows for a platform for people to introduce their partners into the family, show them they are serious and in it for the long haul. It connects two families together and grows bonds, they become more alike and make for better units. On the Tuscan table we see a plethora of good,

bad, serious, unserious conversations with a common factor of home cooked meals that draw everyone together. Q ) Identify Colonialism A) Colonialism is a system that none of our readings in this class could escape, a particularly interesting case could be identified in Belize where we talked of the complicated and winding history of Rice and beans in the Caribbean nation. Nearly a century ago the belizean staple had been plantains, fish, salt, pork and stew of a variety of roots. Under colonial rule, however, there was a steep decline in the popularity of local and fresh produce when the market was dominated by highly regarded imported canned goods. In a stride to recover the local economy, the government urged the production of local crops which happened to include rk and rice. Because of its relative ethnic neutrality and cusmizability the dish took over as the national identity.Born out of a system of segregation and division is a dish that unites the mosaic of ethnic groups in belize, giving them a common identity to share over the dining table. In a country that is still trying to gain due recongitiona and power, national identity cant be taken for granted Q ) Identify Globalization in the context of belize A) Belize is a Caribbean nation that is surrounded by powerful neighbors with an unparalleled capability to introduce a variety of items in the market. Rapid globalization has raised concern about Belize's ability to match the diversity of products that are imported from the US and sustain a local market. It had made great strides in nationalizing rice and beans but the modern consumer does not have time to cook elaborate meals, they rely on easier, cheaper meals of ﬂour, tortillas, bread, canned meats, and ramen. However, in this case globalization did not ﬂatten out the culture but rather reminded people of what makes them belizean, what they share in common. Q ) Identify Food security A) Food security is prominently highlighted in the context of “food will be what brings people together” where we’re reminded that the indigenous population of Canada suffers from disproportionate and alarming rates of food insecurity and by causality, diabetes and obesity amongst other holistic health issues. It is important that they return to their own cultural understanding of food and health rather than adhere to the ethnocentric food guidelines of Canada. Food security is the access to adequate nutritional and culturally appropriate food but the 2016 indigenous food guidelines fail to take into account the non-linear

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understandings of indigenous food systems which include reciprocity, interdependence and relational consumption of meals. bigger animals that give themselves to the hunter are offered to the elders which honors both the elders and the animal, the elder then decides how to distribute food. The indigenous food system, by respecting people and nature alike, reciprocating and staying in touch with what they eat create a food secure environment which allows everyone in the community to eat what suits them in whatever quantity is best for them. Q ) Identify Ethnocentrism A) Ethnocentrism is system of beliefs and actions that places the culture of a certain place in the center and often deems others as alien or exotic. A clear example of this would be canada’s food guide which is entirely centered around western perception of food from a biomedical lens, diving into food groups, micro and macro nutrients. It is also a product of industrialism because its fragmented to suit the working lifestyle. It’s also individualistic because of the portions. Even in an attempt to better suit the indigenous population they failed to account for their system and instead rebranded ethnocentric guide. Q ) Identify Reciprocity A) Reciprocity is the process of giving back what you take and giving honor and gratitude when taking, its non-linear and not immediate, we can see it deeply rooted in indigenous beliefs and most evidently shows in their eating practices, animals give their life so human can carry spirit forward, in return theyre thanked and offred to elders for bigger spirits. Grocery store disconnect from the animal but indigenous allows you to be in touch Q ) Identify Food sovereignty A) The ability to control one’s own food system, to govern what one eats and produces, to be self suﬃcient and locally produce what is consumed. To view and consume food in a way that is culturally appropriate and address their communities food insecurity on their own.Also to focus on the relationship with food and not just access to it.

Q ) Identify construction of counter narratives A) In brazil, they have a more holistic food guide that places due importance on the importance of pleasure and enjoyment in food, how it helps mental health and makes one happy rather than just checking off a few macro.micro biomedical nutrients. It is important because it revitalizes culture and also challenges the dominant narrative which actively decolonises the system Q ) How do indigenous food traditions understand social life and reciprocity? How does this keep communities strong? Grocery stores, connection —> social life, giving back, elders, gratitude

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