What culture/country in the diaspora has the most African cultural retention?

[intruder]

Do Black Americans have any food similar to fufu, eba or pounded yam?

New Orleans AAs, make gumbo which I personally think gumbo is somewhat close. But they dont do pounded yam and they add rice to it. I'll admit i've had it and it tastes pretty good I just dont like the rice in it. . But this little honey i was messing with from NO brought me some of her mom's one time and shyt was . Where did we go wrong, M?

African American seafood gumbo

Meanwhile haitians make what we call tomtom which is very similar to african fufu/placali au gombo but instead of pounded yam we use pounded breadfruit as seen below.

Haitian tomtom

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Ok starting off...

1. The mention of Caribbean slaves being allowed to grow provisions compared to American ones doesn’t make sense to me when there’s plenty of evidence that African Americans in many cases were allowed the same, the same with having Sunday’s off, not to mention the overall diversity of Soul Food. This especially doesn’t hold up when it’s pretty well known that Caribbean slavery was more labor intensive than much of American slavery. This is another common case of people overstating the paternalistic nature of American slavery and applying it as a catch-all thing to every aspect of it. More myth making, less fact based opinion, which unfortunately is still too common when people speak on AA culture.

2. Ol boy mentioning the Caribbean connection New Orleans has in comparison to the rest of the South like, “Mississippi and Virginia”, and using beans as an example of that is hilariously false and short sighted as hell. Hell grouping Mississippi(which is right next to Louisiana) with Virginia is dumb to begin with.

The big difference with bean dishes are Red Beans, and that’s a Gulf thing, not exclusively a New Orleans thing. However AA’s in EVERY region of the south eat Black eyed peas, Butter Beans, Purple Hull Peas, Pinto Beans.

facts

 

[IllmaticDelta]

I'm basing it on the fact that when i see Americans eat rice it's usually just a little bit like 1/2 a cup on the plate whereas typical caribbean plate be 3/4 full of rice .
Again, im not saying African Americans dont eat rice. Just saying ya'll dont eat rice to the same degree we do. You go to a caribbean household and they serve you any meal (lunch or dinner) it's pretty much guaranteed it comes with rice. That's not really the case with Americans. American, in that aspect, tend to eat healthier when you think if the downside to eating a lot of rice (high in sugar)

Nah, considering how important rice growing regions of africa were to afram stock/foundations, I can't agree with this.

“Exploring crops, landscapes and agricultural practices in Africa and America, [Carney] demonstrates the critical role Africans played in the creation of the system of rice production that provided the foundation of Carolina’s wealth… This detailed study of historical botany, technological adaptation and agricultural diffusion adds depth to our understanding of slavery and makes a compelling case for ‘the agency of slaves’ in the creation of the South’s economy and culture.”—Drew Gilpin Faust, The New York Times Book Review

“Judith A. Carney’s Black Rice: The African Origins of Rice Cultivation in the Americas…describes how the South Carolina rice industry was built not only on slave labor but on the agricultural and technological knowledge brought over by the Africans… [It] changes our understanding of the black contribution to American life.”—Barry Gewen, The New York Times Book Review

“Black Rice sets out to discredit for good an old Southern recipe for history that depicts slaves as mere laborers who dumbly performed work their masters conceived. Carney tells it the other way around. After years visiting West African rice fields, then digging in archives on both sides of the Atlantic, she has emerged with evidence that early slave traders sought and seized Africans who had the abilities to grow a specific African rice… Black Rice might be called an agricultural detective story. The historical crime—and that’s clearly how Carney sees it—is the relative lack of attention given to African rice.”—Allan M. Jalon, The Los Angeles Times

“Contrary to common belief, [Carney] explains, rice was not brought by Europeans to the Americas by way of Asia, but rather was introduced here by Africans and cultivated by African-American slaves, particularly in South Carolina, where rice crops proved to be one of the most profitable plantation-based economies. Though this is a scholarly work, Carney’s clear, uncluttered prose invites a wider readership.”—Publishers Weekly

Black Rice — Judith A. Carney | Harvard University Press

 

[98Ntu]

I’d say Afro-Cubans, Afro-Colombians, Haitians and Afro-Brazilians have the most obviously “African” qualities of their culture. But everyone who is of African descent practices African culture in some way, shape or form.


On a side note: I personally think African culture hasn’t been well retained by some Africans either. When I was in Zim, last summer, a lot of Zimbabweans seem Anglophilic and Westernized. The rural areas are more in touch with African culture but even then kids have forsaken their roots to try to seem more Western. Many people forsake their own culture and environment to aspire to non-Africanness. This isn’t all Africans by the way. I’m speaking as a Zimbabwean on Zimbabwe but my other African friends from various regions have said the same.

I think most of the problems, neuroses and confusion in Africa are rooted in a lack of self-knowledge and self-awareness. Our cultures are so rich. We shouldn’t disown them. We mustn’t westernize but modernize our Africanness. Then we can rule like we’re suposed to. Just my thoughts

 

[intruder]

Nah, considering how important rice growing regions of africa were to afram stock/foundations, I can't agree with this.

Black Rice — Judith A. Carney | Harvard University Press

Again, AAs do NOT eat anywhere near as much as Caribbeans and africans do, PERIOD. Just like we dont eat anywhere near as much chicken or potatoes as AAs do.

Nowhere id i say rice is somewhow familiar to Americans or they dont eat rice. They do. It's just not to the same degree. A Caribbean restaurant serves dinner or lunch to anyone from the Caribbean without rice and they'll look at you like something is fukking wrong with you or something is missing. Meanwhile Americans are fine with eating their meat with mac & cheese and collard greens.

Put it this way: How many times do you eat rice a week as an american? I'm gonna guess probably 3 times a week. Move to Haiti and watch a typical haitian middle or working class household eat. I guarantee you you watch them eat for 30 day and 28 of them there will be rice being cooked. That's why our diet can be rather unhealthy in some aspect

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Again, AAs do NOT eat anywhere near as much as Caribbeans and africans do, PERIOD. Just like we dont eat anywhere near as much chicken or potatoes as AAs do.

Nowhere id i say rice is somewhow familiar to Americans or they dont eat rice. They do. It's just not to the same degree. A Caribbean restaurant serves dinner or lunch to anyone from the Caribbean without rice and they'll look at you like something is fukking wrong with you or something is missing. Meanwhile Americans are fine with eating their meat with mac & cheese and collard greens.

Put it this way: How many times do you eat rice a week as an american? I'm gonna guess probably 3 times a week. Move to Haiti and watch a typical haitian middle or working class household eat. I guarantee you you watch them eat for 30 day and 28 of them there will be rice being cooked. That's why our diet can be rather unhealthy in some aspect

You need to hit up SC or GA because AAs in those states eat a shyt ton of rice. The slaves taken to those states were needed for rice cultivation.

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Again, AAs do NOT eat anywhere near as much as Caribbeans and africans do, PERIOD. Just like we dont eat anywhere near as much chicken or potatoes as AAs do.

I've been in numerous west indian/spanis carib households and I haven't noticed any more frequent consumption of rice than I didn't in my own fam.

Meanwhile Americans are fine with eating their meat with mac & cheese and collard greens.

I never eat any meat outside of fried chicken w/o rice. Mac'n cheese, collards are like sides that need rice to go with it, from my POV.

Put it this way:

How many times do you eat rice a week as an american? I'm gonna guess probably 3 times a week. Move to Haiti and watch a typical haitian middle or working class household eat. I guarantee you you watch them eat for 30 day and 28 of them there will be rice being cooked. That's why our diet can be rather unhealthy in some aspect

I've been in numerous west indian households and I haven't noticed any more frequent consumption of rice than I did in my own fam. The only group of people I was around that OD'd on rice was this Honduran fam I know, lol.

 

[Cuban Pete]

Haiti Cuba Jamaica Brazil

 

[intruder]

You need to hit up SC or GA because AAs in those states eat a shyt ton of rice. The slaves taken to those states were needed for rice cultivation.

You do know I live in Atlanta since 2005, right? You do know the chick I dated in Atlanta that I was madly in love with was from NC, right? And her mom from SC. And she's one of the AA women that told me "you people eat way too much rice".

The other chick I dated in college who played basketball is a native Atlantan herself. Been to many cookouts and dinners at her mom's. Probably had rice there once. Only time I could clearly remember her eaing rice was when she came to Caribbean carnival with me. Outside of that most AAs I spend a lot of time around will eat some rice but not nearly as much volume as typical Caribbean brehs. I'd say the amount of rice most AAs eat in a month is about a week's worth for us which us very unhealthy. Bottom line is ive been around many AA households enough to see that while rice is indeed part of the diet, yes. But caribbean people overdose on the shyt by comparison.

I've been in numerous west indian/spanis carib households and I haven't noticed any more frequent consumption of rice than I didn't in my own fam.

You werent paying attention. Outside of breakfast, rice is expected in every-single-meal.

Now, some latino caribbean families who live in the United States may reduce the amout of rice they eat as they get more americanized and also being aware of the dangers of eating too much rice in this environment (diabetes). But like i was saying before outside of breakfast they'll slap 2 pounds of rice in your plate at every meal.

Heck, come to think of it when i lived in Costa Rica i remember making fun of my GF there because costa ricans eat rice (gallo pinto) for breakfast
I remember telling my mom about it and she said certain haitians (nothern haitians, Plateau Central area and up) eat rice for breakfast too.

 

[Akae Beka]

My mom dates/ is engaged with an AA(with roots to the carolinas) and Im married to an AA(strong roots in southern VA and NC) and they both agree that we cook/eat too much rice lol. My wife is standing right next to me and she agrees with @Intruder v3.0 .

A lot of west indian spots, will offer you rice in different styles, from coconut rice, to peas and rice, brown rice, white rice etc. I havent frequent that many soul food spots but what Ive seen, I dont see the same variety

TBH, I see more AA willing to eat Mac and Cheese more often than rice but thats only from my observation.

 

[intruder]

A lot of west indian spots, will offer you rice in different styles, from coconut rice, to peas and rice, brown rice, white rice etc. I havent frequent that many soul food spots but what Ive seen, I dont see the same variety

Exactly!

And honestly those are just the west indian spots here which find their peoples foods here in the U.S. and take what they can get at a decent price to keep their profit margin stable. But back home, (Haiti for example) mofos will often do rice and mayi moulen (corn meal) in the same day or rice and pitimi (dont know what it's called in english). I personally always hated pitimi myself.

Americans get most of their starches from a few sources: Breads, pastas, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes.
In the sialnds: Breads, pastas, rices, cornmeal, sweet potatoes, yellow yams, white yams, yuca, tarot, plantains, regular potatoes, etc.

Thus why i say you can make the argument that Americans eat somewhat healthier than we from a diabetes aspect. If you're trying to follow a keto or low-carb diet in a caribbean household you're almost doomed to fail because we eat too much starches.

 

[intruder]

Kessi was a genius. Same as Toto and Coupe .

Dude was just unique.

Which Toto? You mean Toto Necesite?

And while i was in Ivory Coast i realized the older generation there love Coupe Cloue. I have a video i took of a DJ dropping Coupe and them Africans went crazy . There were people there from most of the french speaking west African countrieslike BurkinaFaso and Cameroune and Benin. Once the ones near me found out i was haitian i was done! Them mofos kept buying me drinks all night to the point i was drunk as fukk and that bottle of black label me and my homeboy bought was untouched and we went home with it. This woman in the spoiler dragged me onto the dancefloor and abused me for 45 minutes. I should have pressed charges on some #meToo type shyt.

Spoiler

 

[generic-username]

New Orleans AAs, make gumbo which I personally think gumbo is somewhat close. But they dont do pounded yam and they add rice to it.

Meanwhile haitians make what we call tomtom which is very similar to african fufu/placali au gombo but instead of pounded yam we use pounded breadfruit as seen below.

Haitian tomtom

You guys use spoons and forks to eat that. That type of food is meant to be eaten with your hand.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

You do know I live in Atlanta since 2005, right? You do know the chick I dated in Atlanta that I was madly in love with was from NC, right? And her mom from SC. And she's one of the AA women that told me "you people eat way too much rice".

The other chick I dated in college who played basketball is a native Atlantan herself. Been to many cookouts and dinners at her mom's. Probably had rice there once. Only time I could clearly remember her eaing rice was when she came to Caribbean carnival with me. Outside of that most AAs I spend a lot of time around will eat some rice but not nearly as much volume as typical Caribbean brehs. I'd say the amount of rice most AAs eat in a month is about a week's worth for us which us very unhealthy. Bottom line is ive been around many AA households enough to see that while rice is indeed part of the diet, yes. But caribbean people overdose on the shyt by comparison.

And I'm part AA and have AA family members especially from country ass North Carolina who most of yall wouldn't understand if they spoke. Yes, they eat rice A LOT. I grew up eating rice. One of my relatives from SC cooks a shyt load of rice. I agree AAs aren't rice OBSESSED like Caribbeans but saying AAs don't eat a lot of rice is false especially to someone with Carolinian roots in his family. If anything it depends on the state/

 

[UberEatsDriver]

You do know I live in Atlanta since 2005, right? You do know the chick I dated in Atlanta that I was madly in love with was from NC, right? And her mom from SC. And she's one of the AA women that told me "you people eat way too much rice".

The other chick I dated in college who played basketball is a native Atlantan herself. Been to many cookouts and dinners at her mom's. Probably had rice there once. Only time I could clearly remember her eaing rice was when she came to Caribbean carnival with me. Outside of that most AAs I spend a lot of time around will eat some rice but not nearly as much volume as typical Caribbean brehs. I'd say the amount of rice most AAs eat in a month is about a week's worth for us which us very unhealthy. Bottom line is ive been around many AA households enough to see that while rice is indeed part of the diet, yes. But caribbean people overdose on the shyt by comparison.


You werent paying attention. Outside of breakfast, rice is expected in every-single-meal.

Now, some latino caribbean families who live in the United States may reduce the amout of rice they eat as they get more americanized and also being aware of the dangers of eating too much rice in this environment (diabetes). But like i was saying before outside of breakfast they'll slap 2 pounds of rice in your plate at every meal.

Heck, come to think of it when i lived in Costa Rica i remember making fun of my GF there because costa ricans eat rice (gallo pinto) for breakfast
I remember telling my mom about it and she said certain haitians (nothern haitians, Plateau Central area and up) eat rice for breakfast too.

True Caribbean people eat rice more than MF. I actually at this point can’t eat all the rice that Jamaicans put in there food lol