body and spirit
Thanksgiving and Atonement
UDC Students Share Across Cultural Boundaries
by B. Michelle Harris McQureerir
Diallo’s perspective, “Thanksgiving came from religion. It started with Christianity.” Diallo’s friends are Christians from Mali, while he is Moslem. Diallo said that he and his friends “talk more than we eat since we are so happy to see each other. We all work so hard [throughout the year], so we do not get to see each other. Diallo mentioned some of the foods on the menu: “sweet potato pie, turkey, cornbread, soda – no alcohol.” Since most of the gathering involves talking and not so much eating, there is much food to take home. Diallo said that everyone wraps the foods they wish to take home with them. In contrast, Diallo’s own cultural experience with a day similar to Thanksgiving Day is Tabaski. Tabaski takes place about three months after the month of Ramadan, a most holy period for followers of Islam. During Ramadan, individuals fast for about 30 days and focus on becoming spiritually connected. Tabaski is officially one day; however, the need to “travel can extend it.” Diallo says that in Mali, people “dress in nice new clothes and visit people in the neighborhood.” They visit family who may live outside of the town. When he was home in Mali, sheep were slaughtered, cooked and eaten. “Everyone visits each other and asks for forgiveness. They wish wealth and good life for neighbors, family and all.” Note: This columnist learned later that Tabaski is a celebration of Abraham’s dedication to God through his willingness to sacrifice his only son.
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n traditional America, Thanksgiving Day is a time for families and friends to gather together to feast and have fun and to watch a football game or two. Folks often travel miles to connect and catch up on how the children have grown and the waistlines have expanded during the previous year. This month’s column will spotlight students who are taking an introductory nutrition course at the University of the District of Columbia. Thanksgiving Day traditions of students who hail from various cultures are compared and contrasted.
Puerto Rico and the Melting Pot
Nicasio “Nic” Acevedo IV shared that he is Puerto Rican. He described his family as a “big family.” He said that they all “meet at my dad’s house. Twenty people sit down. Each person brings a signature dish.” He stated that his little sister brings her lasagna. His brother-in-law brings greens with ham hock. With a chuckle, he added, “I bring the booze.” Acevedo noted that in addition to the signature dishes, they have turkey, stuffing, roast pork …” He said that he has an “eclectic family – all types of nationalities.” Some of the menu items that Acevedo listed may
A Voice from Mali
Kamady Diallo, a student from Mali, shared his Thanksgiving Day experiences in the United States and compared them to Tabaski (sacrifice), a day of atonement. Diallo stated that Thanksgiving is not a part of his culture, but since he came to the United States, he gets invited to his friends’ homes. From
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not appear on the Thanksgiving Day table of many other families, but his family’s blended celebration reminds us of how new traditions can meld with old traditions to bring on a more flavorful and joyful day and an appreciation of how sharing our cultures and respecting the cultures of others is something special.
Sara’s Story
Sara Kassa shared another example of a Thanksgiving Day that is a mixture of cultures. Kassa is originally from Ethiopia. She travels to New Jersey to celebrate for two days with her sister and her sister’s husband. Kassa stated that her sister’s husband is Spanish. “We have Spanish food, American food, Ethiopian food. We play cards all night long. We share a lot of things.” Kassa highlighted the fun that she has on Thanksgiving Day. “We laugh a lot and tell jokes.”
sharing that there is so much left to eat the next week – turkey salad, turkey sandwiches…” Jones emphasized the changes that he and his siblings have made over the years in their Thanksgiving Day menu. “We started about six or seven years ago. There are 14 of us – six sisters and eight brothers. After we got old and sick with diabetes and high blood pressure, we changed our diets completely. We no longer bring dishes. The kids eat the soul food – stuff we used to eat. We now eat low-fat and nonfat. We use substitute sweeteners. We used to have turkey and ham – the whole gamut of stuff. We still get together, but everything is light. We do not have the big, bountiful meals we used to have. The kids don’t want to eat with us anymore. They say, ‘you’re no fun.’” Jones noted that he has learned from the introductory nutrition course that “I eat balanced meals, but I eat so much of it. I was eating bigger portions out of habit.”
Sharing Across Generations
The introductory nutrition class is rich in terms of diverse cultures. Culture is not just about country of origin, language or religion. It is also about differences across ages and generations. Lanika Jones is a voice from the younger generation. She stated, “Once my grandmother passed away, we started a new tradition. My mom tries to bring everybody together. We party all night long. It is a big party.” Kim Motley noted that Thanksgiving Day “is mostly about family – giving thanks for the blessings in your life. Being thankful and grateful for what you have.” John Hammond shared that Thanksgiving is a day for a family reunion. He stated that his family is separated across states. “Everyone comes to one house. There is lots of food.” He added that Thanksgiving is about family and friendship. Roberta Bennett and Anthony Jones are two students in the class who are from a different generation from most of the others. Both talked about family traditions. Bennett stated that everyone meets at her mom’s house where she and her mother take care of an elderly aunt. She said that a week before Thanksgiving she buys the food. “My signature dish is macaroni and cheese. My sister does all the desserts. We have six types of meats – the traditional dinner: chicken, ham, chitterlings, ribs, roast. … My mother and I rotate in the kitchen. Everyone arrives later. My youngest brother brings about six friends. Some watch the game. By the time I do all the cooking, I don’t eat it. I’m exhausted when it’s over because I have cooked all day. The adults eat after the children. We rotate because the table is not big enough to hold everyone at once.” Bennett added that even though there are so many fatty foods on their Thanksgiving Day menu, “Moderation is the key.” She closed by
Helping Hands from the University of the District of Columbia
One aspect of nutrition that is often overlooked at the introductory level is anti-hunger and nutrition advocacy. In anticipation of this learning module, student Camille Lewis anticipates putting thought to action. “I plan to serve the homeless on Thanksgiving. This is the first year that I will do so. My family moved away and I will be alone here on Thanksgiving.” Lewis will not have a lonely Thanksgiving at all. Hers is an example of how reaching out to others does as much for the giver as for the recipient. Beyond Thanksgiving, most of the other students in the class will volunteer for at least one day at an anti-hunger organization, including So Others Might Eat and local churches. There are many opportunities to share one’s blessings with others. Thanksgiving Day is just a special time to do so. Joni Podschun of SOME and Suzanne Henley of the Food Research and Action Center, both headquartered in Washington, DC, were guest lecturers for the introductory nutrition course in late October 2007. They helped students to make the connections between food and poverty and health. Learn more about these organizations by visiting www.some.org and www.frac.org. Be sure to read about the SOME annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. Volunteers are still needed to help with this event. In addition, you may read last year’s November issue of East of the River that highlighted SOME (EOR, November 2006). Dr. Harris (PhD, MPH, RD) is Assistant Professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Her focus is public and community health through education, information, and research. Contact her at bharris@udc.edu. ■
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