Paper presented at the 52nd CFCS Annual Meeting, Guadeloupe, July 10-16, 2016
FOOD CROPS FOODSTUFF AND CARIBBEAN CULINARY IDENTITY Renata de Bies Anton de Kon University of Suriname Keywords: crops, food: dishes, culinary heritage and tradition Abstract Suriname and the Caribbean English-speaking nations share typical Caribbean identities because of both their historical and geographical similarities, as the history of these countries is dominated by colonialism, slavery and immigration. By the same token, there are also differences because of that history and their geographical separation. By means of food- and culinary concepts in the Caribbean this paper, based on the CCD Carisur Culinair Dictionare (Paramaribo 2013), tries to show relatedness in the national culinary cultures of the Caribbean. The CCD, a bilingual culinary dictionary (Surinamese Dutch-Caribbean English- Surinamese Dutch), has been compiled to further promote and strengthen the idea of the linguistic and cultural unity of the Caribbean, fully treated previously by both Richard and Jeannette Allsopp, the latter crossing linguistic boundaries in her Caribbean Multilingual Dictionary of Flora, Fauna and Foods (CMD). Dutch was however not included in that publication.The CCD catering to Dutch-speaking users compares the culinary domain of Suriname with that of the English-speaking Caribbean, and sets out to prove the close cultural relationship between this Dutch-speaking territory and the English-speaking (is)lands of the region. Departing from crops in their functions of staple, vegetable, condiment and edible fruit, this paper presents food in the Caribbean from a historic point of view, elements of common culinary culture, as well as distinctions throughout the Caribbean will be described `and analyzed. It goes without saying that restrictions to a paper do not allow listing exhaustively food crops and products. Those dealt with in this paper are meant to illustrate, so as for example the Amerindian staple cassava and its products, such as cassavebread, farine, pepperpot, casiri, etc. The most important results of the desk-top and field research conducted in compiling the CCD, included in this paper are: 1) Amerindian culinary heritage does not abound in current Caribbean culinary culture, although there are some food items, such as cassava-bread that surely attribute to Caribbean culinary identity. Amerindian influence is strongest in the naming of indigenous edible flora, as many fruits bear Amerindian-derived names. 2) Slavery has played a considerable role in culinary identity in the Caribbean. Foodstuff and reminiscing about slavery can be found throughout the Caribbean. However, in the Surinamese cuisine of today it seems as if these influences of slavery are fading and have been faded away. 3) Colonialism and Immigration have brought about distinctions in culinary culture in the Caribbean, such as the use or non-use, and preparation of food crops. Materials and Methods Materials Cookbooks of the Caribbean (is)lands, including some cookbooks of creole food in French Guiana and the Frenchspeaking Antilles. Dictionaries: Caribbean English (including dictionary of food, flora and fauna) Scientific books/articles on food, flora (including history of food). Historic newspapers from Suriname, articles on food and flora. Methods 1. Observations à notes of observations Participation observation (eating dishes) 2. Desk-top research à study of books and articles Dictionaries were studied to obtain insight in names and etymology . 3. Interviews with people, including English-speaking informants: 1. street and market vendors in Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad, Jamaica; 2. cooks in hotels and restaurants. *NB Interviews were not recorded (Oral interviews of which notes were taken). The notes acquired from interviews were compared with knowledge derived from observation and participation observation and desktop research. 4. Pictures were taken in English speaking countries in Suriname Conclusions A. Amerindian culinary heritage only reflected by: 1. names of edible food crops e.g. Kasyuma (Anonna reticulata ) 2. Cassava (products) as ingredients: grated cassava, cassareep, farine B. Throughout Caribbean slavery contributed most to culinary identity (similarities in kitchen) - cooking styles: one-pot-meal of ground provisions; - food crops (staples from Africa (yams); - naming of food crops – calalu, gumbo - Food shift reminiscing to slavery fades away in Suriname à (Cajanus cajan),
184