Food is a basic and necessary requirement in our society. It is necessary because it contributes to human beings’ existence. In relation to culture, food is defined by a variety of normal cultural structures. These cultural structures are what we eat, the way we eat, with whom do we eat and when we eat. Concerning culture, lack of resources such as transportation facilities limited the mobility of food in historical context hence associating food with place. Furthermore, food is associated with place depending on its availability through trade. For instance, barter trades were common in past societies and they usually involved the exchange of various goods, which mostly comprised foodstuffs. In the past, there were limited methods of storing food. Because of this, food, which is a perishable good, spoiled. Thus, food is associated with time and season. For instance, specific foods such as maize and wheat go through different times of harvests. Moreover, environmental change comprising the change in seasons influences the perishability and storage of food. Moreover, food is related to tradition because of the passing down of cooking as a skill from elders to novices. This can be identified by eating particular foods at a particular time because other related people did so. For instance, the Thanksgiving Dinner is a tradition that was passed down from the Pilgrims to the modern American society. Food is also associated with belief because the rules governing dietary are often dictated through prescriptions such as religious interdictions. Such interdictions refer to foods that are forbidden. For instance, the Islam religion forbids the consumption of pork. Moreover, belief also extends to non-religious proscriptions. This can be identified by the non-consumption of beef and beef related products by vegetarians. Food is essential to survival therefore, it is associated with corporeality. Consequently, food is associated with hospitality because it is costly. Food is also associated with nutrition because people require certain varieties of food to be healthy. For instance, balanced diets are emphasized in relation to consumption in order to encourage healthy lifestyles and restrict consumption of unnecessary or dangerous food.
The folklorist attempts to identify the artistic communication involved among individuals and groups in an informal setting. In relation to food, the folklorist tries to identify the various aesthetic components comprising food in relation to diverse groups based on the food consumed. For instance, the folklorist attempts to identify folklore in a typical sandwich. By understanding the creation and consumption of the snack, the folklorist deduces that sandwiches are personal and aesthetic expectations. Sandwiches are also perceived to be informal because the instructions for their construction are transmitted through informal channels. Snadwiches are also deemed to be democratic and appear in popular cultures. Sandwiches are also authentic despite being in a popular culture. Thus, folklorists attach anthropological and deep meaning respective of culture to various objects such as food in the society.
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