World Food Day: How much do you know about the food habits of minorities and indigenous peoples?
16 October is World Food Day – Test yourself on your knowledge of foods from minorities and indigenous cultures! Find out how much you know about food from across the world and get some inspiration for your next culinary adventure on the way. Don’t worry – there will be recipes for all the delicious dishes mentioned in this quiz at the end.
China’s Uyghur minority have a cuisine which incorporates both central Asian and Chinese elements. Which of these Uyghur dishes is considered the most typical and served commonly at weddings, in restaurants, and to guests?
Uyghur Muslim men gather to trade animals at the famed Sunday market, Kashgar, Xinjiang province, China. Credit: Chris Stowers/PANOS.
Situated at the nexus between Central Asia, Tibet, Russia, and China, Uyghur culture showcases a range of different influences. The community today faces many threats, of which food insecurity is just one. Read more about the current situation of the Uyghurs here.
Why is the Batwa community of Uganda struggling to access food and medicinal herbs?
Portrait of a Batwa woman, Uganda. Credit: Bella Falk / Alamy.
Minorities worldwide are being evicted from their homelands in the name of conservation. Read more in our report.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations declared 2013 the ‘International Year of Quinoa’, a crop traditionally cultivated by indigenous communities across the Andean region and Chilean lowlands. Why?
Julia Sudnitskaya/Shutterstock
Food diversity has decreased dramatically in the past century, making the global food supply extremely vulnerable to disruption due to epidemics. While the promotion of so-called ‘superfoods’ such as quinoa may help with this, it often comes at the expense of the local communities traditionally harvesting these crops as they become unable to afford them.
Indigenous communities safeguard 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity and are vital in the effort to preserve crop diversity. National seedbanks (which store seed varieties) play a role in this, with the Svalbard Global Seed Vault acting as a global backup. But how many deposits of heirloom crop seeds have been made by indigenous communities in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault for preservation?
Indigenous women harvest paddy in Chittagong Hill Tracks in Bangladesh. Eleven indigenous communities live in the hilly lands and are dependent on Jhum crops. Jhum is the main crop for the tribal communities living in the area. Credit: Rehman Asad/Alamy.
The Cherokee Nation and the Parque de la Papa (Potato Park) representing Andean indigenous communities have made deposits. Most seed preservation is done by national seed banks who side-line the role of indigenous peoples. Read more about our work in maintaining biodiversity.
Many communities in the Gambia are increasingly threatened by food insecurity. Why is this?
Mariama, mother of 8, carries food home to her family. Still from ‘Stolen Fish’ documentary. Credit: Gosia Juszczak/MRG.
Due to the Gambia’s unique location in the Gambia delta, many locals rely on fish as a source of protein in their diet. But fishmeal factories are destroying the fragile coastal ecosystem. Learn more in our documentary.
Roma in the Balkans region of Europe have been living there since the 14th century and lived a nomadic lifestyle for much of that time. The meat used in Balkan Romani cuisine therefore often comes from ‘portable’ livestock such as chicken or goat. What other meat do Roma traditionally eat?
Kettle goulash is prepared over an open fire. Credit: Dar1930/Shutterstock.
In addition to movable livestock, wild game was and is often consumed because it is easily available. During the pandemic especially, Roma communities have been experiencing increased effects of marginalisation including access to food and other basic needs. Read more about work with the Roma community in Eastern Europe here and here.
The Chinampas agricultural system is a ‘set of floating artificial islands built in a traditional way’, an example of one way that urban development can co-exist with revitalising regional traditional heritage. Where is the Chinampas agricultural system?
Credit: Joaquín Enríquez/Pixabay.
The chinampas system uses traditional knowledge transmitted from Aztec culture, who employed a similar technique to build their capital Tenochtitlan. Chinampas is one of 62 UN designated globally important agricultural systems. Why don’t you learn about some of the others on their website?
Bannock Bread has long been a popular food among First Nations communities in Canada. Despite high cultural and environmental variation between different communities, base ingredients in recipes are remarkably similar across different communities today. What is the reason?
Kanahus Manuel, founding member of environmental indigenous activist group ‘Tiny House Warriors’. Credit: Kanahus Manuel.
First Nations people were moved to reservations to disconnect them from their traditional ways of life, including food sources and culture. The Canadian government handed out rations instead, which included wheat flour, lard, and eggs. Today, the rich pre-contact variety is being revived by indigenous communities.
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If you’d like to learn more, take a look at our World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples to learn about the situation and cultures of minorities and indigenous peoples across the globe.
Finally, why not try one of these tasty Polo, Bannock and Bograc recipes?
Stay up to date on our work with minorities by signing up to our newsletter or reading our blogs.
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Top up your knowledge by having a read of our World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples to learn about the situation and cultures of minorities and indigenous peoples across the globe.
Finally, why not try one of these tasty Polo, Bannock and Bograc recipes?
Stay up to date on our work with minorities by signing up to our newsletter or reading our blogs.
[contact-form-7 id="34664"]
Why not try one of these tasty Polo, Bannock and Bograc recipes? You can also read more in our World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples.
Stay up to date on our work with minorities by signing up to our newsletter or reading our blogs.
[contact-form-7 id="34664"]
Why not try one of these tasty Polo, Bannock and Bograc recipes? You can also read more in our World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples.
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Featured photo: Indigenous women harvest paddy in Chittagong Hill Tracks in Bangladesh. Eleven indigenous communities live in the hilly lands and are dependent on Jhum crops. Jhum is the main crop for the tribal communities living in the area. Credit: Rehman Asad / Alamy.
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