Response 1 of 5: “Introduction: Food in Multi-Ethnic Literatures” by Fred L. Gardaphè and Wenying Xu
by Mariam Esa
As rather social beings, we humans like to make plans quite often to hang out with one another. And usually when making these plans, there’s the very important factor to consider: “What are we eating?” Living in New York City, we have plenty of options to choose from, however, as pointed out by Gardaphè and Xu, this may have not been the case. Foods of immigrants, such as the example with Italian food, was considered to be “filthy and unhealthful” (6). Can you imagine not ever having Italian food?
The offensive remarks made towards immigrants for their food served not only as a means of relocating immigrants, but of assimilating them too. Americans “proposed…programs of education for immigrants and minorities” (9). This so-called ‘education’ being to have them eat American food in an attempt to make them capitalist consumers as well as a part of mainstream American culture. As a means of profit, Americans tried to stamp out other cultures through diminishing their native foods. Why the food? Food represents different cultures and shows diversity. It links back to a person’s history and culture, “relationships between food and ethnicity bear historical, social, cultural, economical, political, and psychological significance” (5). As New Yorkers, don’t we easily recognize different groups of people through the foods they sell at their restaurant or store? Food is an easier way for us to identify different cultures. When immigrants came to America, they held on to their food and recipes because it was a way of holding on to their cultures. Pointed out in this article is also a statement made by Abu-Jaber, “the language of food offers a portal to ethnic history, culture, and roots” (7). As a Yemeni-American, I can relate to this a bit more on a personal level. While I was not raised in Yemen, I still know a lot of the lifestyle led there through food. Certain foods were meant for breakfast; after work, there’d be a huge lunch/dinner served. After would be the time for people to get all fancied up and sit together for sweets and coffee/tea. Simple things like what dishes are served at what time gives me an insight into a typical day back in Yemen.
It’s funny how Americans have tried to rid itself of ethnic foods when “ethnic Americans have fed and built this nation” (8). Food is a means of representing different races and ethnicities. Community- building takes place due to the many foods that brings a culture together, further expanding and enriching the area its in. It’s what makes New York City what it is after all- a diverse city, full of rich culture at every turn.
Questions:
Would NYC be as diverse as it is today if the foods of immigrants were stamped out and remained as “filthy” and “anti-American”?
How is it that ethnic foods survived despite the efforts to ‘reform’ an immigrant’s diet and turn them into capitalist consumers?
In your opinion, what makes food the most significant representation of a culture- even more so than language? Or do you not agree with this statement?Why?
