Racial and Ethnic Stereotypes and Food

Food is a powerful, multi-sensory expression of identity. What we eat, how we cook it and whom we eat with are choices and actions closely tied with our perceptions of identity – both our own and that of others.

In the world of ethnic and racial identity politics, “you are what you eat” is the direct antithesis of “we are what we eat”.

A short while ago, I watched an episode of the indomitable David Chang’s new Netflix series ‘Ugly Delicious’ in which various participants discussed the United States’ enduring racist stereotypes attached to fried chicken (and watermelon).

The connection between people of African decent and chicken stems from the time African slaves kept chicken in the enclosures around their homesteads – which is why chicken is sometimes also called a ‘yardbird’ – because it was a cheap and convenient way to raise good quality animal protein.

In 1915, a white racist film ‘Birth of a Nation’ depicted white actors in blackface being rude, drunk and eating fried chicken. This, for Claire Schmidt, a folklore professor at the University of Missouri, established the relationship between blackness as caricature and fried chicken.

Fast forward 100 years later, one of David Chang’s black friends still refuses to eat fried chicken on camera. Even someone as famous as Tiger Woods has been the target of the now infamous fried chicken insult.

The truth is, most, if not all, ethnic minorities the world over have had their food turned into a stereotypical ethnic or racist insult. It is our traditional dishes that often make us stand out and be different from the others around us.

When you are vulnerable and trying to fit in, the last thing you’d want is to be seen eating ‘weird food’ that looks and smells ‘funny’ and different.

Locally, we have this too. Donkey meat is linked to Damara speakers and dog meat to Chinese workers. As other ethnic groups do not consider these animals food, consumers of these foods are ridiculed and subjected to claims of cultural inferiority by those who are non-eaters. The latter of course perceive their own culture as superior.

Of course there is nothing genetic, biological or inherent that links skin colour and a specific food. White people eat fried chicken, and a lot of it. How else did fried chicken fast food chains such as KFC became the international giants they are today?

Kimchi only smells ‘different’ outside Korea and eating with your hands is still the preferred way everywhere except the West.

How come the notion of ethnic food is only ever used in reference to the food of ethnic minorities and immigrants?

Just consider this example: Chicken tikka masala is considered an Indian curry dish despite the fact that it was most likely invented in the UK or Scotland by a Bangladeshi chef. Despite its non-Indian origins, it will forever remain an ethnic rather than British dish, and moreover, it has since become an ‘authentic’ menu staple for Indian restaurants the world over!

In our globalised world where manufactured foods are dominant and standardisation is the norm, should we not take greater care of our local food heritages?

Should we not embrace each other’s uniqueness, rather than resort to lazy and hurtful racist practices? Should we not all try donkey meat cooked the Damara way? Should we not learn more about Chinese food before we condemn the entire civilisation?

Chicken is for everyone, and because there are plenty of summer vegetables going around, I have included a dish that will combine the world’s most popular poultry with the best from the summer’s vegetable harvest.

Bon appetit!

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