The Resilience and Rich History of Soul Food

Soul food is probably the most successful story ever told, of delicious food created from a place of survival, celebration, tragedy, and adaptability. It is considered the comfort food of the south in the USA, and many of its famous dishes are considered classics and eaten globally around the world. (Although, not in its exact renditions)

Image via Flickr by Jennifer Woodard Maderazo

America is a melting pot of cultures and the term 'Soul Food' is pretty familiar over there, and there is no equivalent to 'Soul Food' anywhere else in the world. It was born organically through many different influences that occurred over time. Dishes like Fried Chicken, BBQ Pork Ribs, Collard Greens, Fried Catfish, Biscuits, Cornbread, etc. are considered to be American Classics across the world and all these dishes are considered to be Soul Food. Although the terms Southern Food and Soul Food are used quite interchangeably, there is a slight difference. Before we get into that-

HISTORY LESSON!

Soul Food has its roots in West African cuisine, and this is because many of the African people who were enslaved in America were transported from West Africa during the Transatlantic slave trade. In this period, many ingredients such as okra, black-eyed peas, coffee, etc. were exchanged between Africa and America. The enslaved Africans either grew these vegetables or looked for alternatives to the food which they cooked daily.

Most of West African cooking is plant-based, and meat was difficult to procure. The enslaved Africans worked for the white plantation owners who gave them food rations weekly. These rations consisted of corn, parts of pig which were below the head (because the upper class consumed all the 'prized' cuts), chickens (which at that time were known to spread disease), sweet potatoes, etc. They were given off-cuts or parts of meat which were considered to be unappetizing and whatever was growing on the farm, was eaten by the slaves.

Many of the foods which are popularly known as Soul Foods (Fried Chicken, Collard Greens, BBQ Ribs, Cornbread) come under 'Celebration Foods'. It's because these weren't eaten regularly. They were part of the communal feasts when African-American slaves got together and cooked for their families and community. Although in modern times it is perceived that these foods were enjoyed regularly there is this stigma that was associated with this that this is what black people ate all the time.

During the Great Migration in the USA (1910 -1970), around 6 million black people moved up to the north in search of better economic opportunities. Southern food was scarce up in the north, and so some entrepreneurs decided to open up restaurants, diners, etc. to feed the demand of the Southern folks there. Through these circumstances was born an iconic Soul Food restaurant that operates till now in Harlem, New York City- Sylvia's, a restaurant that is world-famous and represents Southern cooking at its finest. They started serving many of these 'celebratory foods' because these foods reminded people of back home spending time with their family during the holidays.

It was around this time there was a movement with the 'Black Culture', especially in music. A new genre of music known as 'Soul' became popular, and this term was associated with the pride of African-American culture, which also included the food they cooked and served. Hence, the food they were serving was called "Soul Food".

The problem with anything becoming popular is that it often gets stereotyped and these stereotypes run deep. As I said earlier in my "Storytelling through Food: Comedy" post, there is often a stigma that is associated with the cuisine of African Americans. Dave Chappelle (a famous standup comedian) sarcastically says in one of his comedy specials (while doing a bit), "There are no secrets here that blacks and chickens are quite fond of one another". Fried Chicken and Watermelon are two of the most controversial things that are often associated with Black people.

During slavery, the enslaved African Americans were not allowed to rear any livestock such as cows, pigs, goats, etc. But, they were allowed to keep chickens and yardbirds. So, they were raising chickens either for consumption or for selling, and through this, they bought their freedom. After Slavery ended, they opened up shops and made their way of living through animal husbandry, butchery, etc. Similarly, watermelon is a fruit that was raised by the slaves in their agriculture. Consuming this hydrating fruit helped them from fainting after working in the heat all day.

In the video titled "Food History: Soul Food" (The first video in this post), Chef Chris Scott talks about how Soul Food is often stereotyped by the masses and how in America many black people are afraid of eating fried chicken in public. Chef Scott says, "Now don't get me wrong I enjoy Fried Chicken. I enjoy Biscuits. Those recipes have been in my family for many years. But, I am so much more than that. So much more than that."

This cuisine was born out of hardships, out of the motivation to survive and adapt to your surroundings. Many of these foods that are part of this cuisine are such a practical way of responding to the economic difficulties. History shows us that we as people and humans always find a way to adapt to our surroundings. This food not only reminds people of the comfort cooking of the Southern United States, it represents the heart and soul of the African immigrants who were enslaved and brought to America. It was through tragedy and famine that today we can experience this food, and we should respect that, and not take it for granted.

The more I write these posts, the more I am discovering what my bucket list is and it's filled with FOOD!

That's it for this time.

See you next week!