What Role Does Food Play In The Life Of The Javanese

It is a known fact that every human being communicates through language, but perhaps a little known fact that we communicate even through the food we eat. We communicate through food all the meanings that we assign and attribute to our culture, and consequently to our identity as well. Food is not only nourishment for our bodies, but a symbol of where we come from. In order to understand the basic function of food as a necessity not only for our survival, we must look to politics, power, identity, and culture.

The forth pillar of faith is referred to as Sawm. From sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan adult Muslim’s are expected to partake in fasting. This means they mustn’t eat, drink, smoke or have sexual intercourse within the hours of daylight. Instead one should take the time to prayer reflect or meditate. Participating in fasting Muslim’s learns the traits of self-control, sympathy and discipline. These are important qualities for all Muslims to have, as the principal belief of Al-Akhira is that we humans, despite God’s will, have the freedom of choice. This way Muslim’s are able to exercise this belief during fasting. Ramadan is the celebration of the first revelation of the Qur’an given directly through the prophet Muhammad, therefore it is a sacred time of special significance to all Muslim’s. Kutubu’llah is the name given to the principal belief in God’s revelation to humans in holy books. The breaking of the fast is a significant part of Sawm, it is the time after sunset when Muslims can enjoy their achievement in fasting. Gathering together among friends and family they may share and light meal and celebrate their self-control and strength throughout the day. This small act highlights

Neither life nor culture can be sustained without food. On a very basic level, food is fundamentally essential for life, not simply to exist, but also to thrive. A means by which carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, nutrients, and calories are introduced into the body, food is a mechanism of survival. However, on a more abstract level, food is also fundamentally essential for culture by establishing its perimeters and dimensions and in shaping its authenticity and character. Food becomes the

In Jessica Harris’s “The Culinary Season of my Childhood” she peels away at the layers of how food and a food based atmosphere affected her life in a positive way. Food to her represented an extension of culture along with gatherings of family which built the basis for her cultural identity throughout her life. Harris shares various anecdotes that exemplify how certain memories regarding food as well as the varied characteristics of her cultures’ cuisine left a lasting imprint on how she began to view food and continued to proceeding forward. she stats “My family, like many others long separated from the south, raised me in ways that continued their eating traditions, so now I can head south and sop biscuits in gravy, suck chewy bits of fat from a pigs foot spattered with hot sauce, and yes’m and no’m with the best of ‘em,.” (Pg. 109 Para). Similarly, since I am Jamaican, food remains something that holds high importance in my life due to how my family prepared, flavored, and built a food-based atmosphere. They extended the same traditions from their country of origin within the new society they were thrusted into. The impact of food and how it has factors to comfort, heal, and bring people together holds high relevance in how my self-identity was shaped regarding food.

During the course of history, the Gullah has protected their heritage through language, food, and customs. The Africans that were enslaved bought many of their recipes, foods, and cooking styles to the low country of the Carolinas and other coastal communities. Of the many recipes, brought to America one pot dishes, proved to be very instrumental in providing nutrition to the unbalanced rations that they received from their masters. Deep-frying, rice dishes, seafood, boiling, and steaming, baking in ashes, basic and natural seasonings, and an consistent use of rice provides a distinct taste when Gullah people are cooking. “Simply speaking, Gullah food is about ancestral ties and American living, adaptability, creativity, making do, “livin’ ot da waddah and on the lan.”” (Grantt. 2005, p 145) Cooking for the Gullah yields passion and creative expression that can only come from their strong ancestral connections, making Gullah Cooking a cultural

Four different people, four different lifestyles, all with at least one thing in common—their races (or so we have yet to discover). I began my interviews wanting to show the similarities and differences in eating habits and traditions with the African American perspective in mind. Although race is used as the combining factor in this situation, each individual’s lifestyle, cultural behavior, and even eating habits are all very unique. My interviewees consisted of four Americans, as mentioned before all of same race, with similar yet very distinct backgrounds. They range from a black Jew, to a “Jamerican,” to what I would call a “traditional southerner”, right on down to a modern day Muslim.

Food, has a specific meaning to all of us; for some it is a form of nourishment, for others it is a cultural act,

1. I would have to say my favorite short story is "A Hunger Artist" by R.Crumb. When the story starts off, we look at a character who is fasting as a form of art. Many of the towns people would come out to exhibit him in a cage fasting, and nit pick at him to eat. They would count the days that he last ate and eventually it became a show.

Arabic speakers and all Muslims in the city of Toowoomba came to the mosque for early Morning Prayer. Most of them brought their wives and children. I observe their beautiful traditional clothes that represent their culture and traditions. It is observable that some of them are carrying dishes of sweets, fruits and meals. The mosque’s committee bought dates, juice and water and the food brought by people. Some of the mosque’s neighbours and religious denominations were invited to attend the feast and share the happiness with the Muslim community. People put the food on the tables aside and started praying and reading the Qur’an until the time of the sermon. The Sermon began at 8 o’clock and finished at 9.00am. The Imam was talking about the

Ramadan: Celebrates the gift of the Qur 'an. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims must fast between sunrise and sunset.

In the Greek Polis, people only drank wine because most of the water was diseased/ standing and they didn’t want to risk getting sick. They also ate great amounts of oil, olives, figs, and fish because they are filled with fats that the Greeks thought were nutritious fats for the brain. Also, lots of the meat they had were also used as sacrifices to please the Gods. A food taboo for Islam in Indonesia is the consumption of pork and meats like beef and chicken. They can’t eat meats like these for they feel as though the animals aren’t slaughtered to Islamic standards. The image above shown above shows the fusion of the Greek and Islamic culture because it shows the wine that the Greeks drink and the lamb that the Islamic people would eat.

This paper explores the religion, history, and food culture of Egypt. It discusses the geographic setting and environment that affects the food availability and water supply for the Muslims. The distinct eating and dietary habits are explained and how they have evolved into modern society. Also, Egypt’s national food is listed along with the history behind it. Lastly, the paper explores the different holiday and religious celebrations that Muslims celebrate and what foods are consumed during each feast.

The fourth pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam is fasting during Ramadan. Ramadan is a sacred holiday in the Muslim faith. It falls in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and is a celebration of Muhammad’s first revelations from God. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. This continues until the end of the month, when a celebratory feast

This passage from “Fasting, Feasting” by Anita Desai contrasts American and Indian cultures. Desai does this by showing the effects of culture shock on Arun, an Indian foreign exchange student living in America. Indian culture raises young boys to learn and think; whereas America, Arun’s new home, emphasizes action over thought. Arun has a hard time adjusting to his new environment, and his rigidity affects his quality of life. Desai makes use of literary devices to reveal a lonesome boy in unfamiliar surroundings. This boy, because of his foreign values and culture, is uninclined to leave the comforts of certainty.

“Honey, fasting is a day-long commitment. Also, it is more than not eating or drinking anything.” It took a long time for me to satisfy my mom; however, I was allowed to start my first fast. Furthermore, my first Ramadan experience taught me more than not eating or drinking for a religious value; in fact, it disclosed me to a book of principles to live by, making family unity, patience and consistency, and respect and contribution a part of my individuality.