What is Soul Food? Essay -- Expository Culture African American Essays

What is individual Food?All ethnic groups have their own language, food, and way of living. some(prenominal) quite a little even call their food, soul food. consciousness food can be described as food made with feeling and care, but in America, soul food simply refers to African-American cuisine (A History of Soul Food). In Imamu Amiri Barakas essay, Soul Food he describes how shocked he was to rede an article that stated how African-Americans have no language and no characteristic food. So he argued against that supposed fact. I too was shocked and am agreeing with Barakas argument. African-Americans have had soul food for hundreds of years, if anything that is all they have ever had. Since slaves had no control or choice in life, cooking became a way to declaim feelings, share love and nurture family and sorrow (Helton). Soul food is more that just food it is history, tradition, and family.Soul food dates back to the early 14th ampere-second during the time of Africa n exploration. When Africans became slaves in America, they had to make do with the ingredients that were given to them (A History of Soul Food). Their meals of fresh vegetables that they were used to were now being replaced by the thrown by scrapes of food from the plantation house. Not long after, slaves began to refer to their food as good times food because after working long hours in the ambit or in the house, the evening meal was a time for families to get together (A History of Soul Food). During the meal, elders passed down oral history to the young ones and family and friends came to visit. Soul food was hearty nourishment that met the intense labor needs of working long days (Helton). Decades later, during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, terms like so... ...It is the greatest feeling.When I hear the words soul food I immediately think of the history, the traditions, and my family. On the other hand, those people who are not familiar with these terms they need it to be just food. Sure you might also think of hushpuppies, fried chicken, collard greens, grits and ribs, but do you know how and why they came about. Not many rattling do. As Baraka concluded his essay he stated, I guess a square is somebody whos in Harlem and eats at Nedicks. I can also agree with that statement. I can see those same squares everywhere else in America they eat at McDonalds. Works Cited1.A History of Soul Food. 13 March 2003. http//www.foxhome.com/soulfood/htmls/soulfood.html2.Marilyn Helton. Soul Food History. 13 March 2003. http//diabetes.about.com/library/blfoodforthought/ucTSsoulfooda.htm