African American Culture Rachel Lee, Jordan Ellick, Juillian Ceasrine

Background African-American culture came to America in the 14 th century through slave trade African American slaves were farmers, cattle raisers, and fisherman. Slaves created their own meals from their master’s leftovers Leftover unfavorable cuts of meat such as the small intestines of pig, pig’s feet, beef tongue, pigs ear, ham hocks. Also used game, rabbit, and raccoon that they caught on their own  Breakfast developed to be the most important meal of the day and consisted of hoecakes and molasses.

Background During times of slavery, young girls learned to prepare fufu. This consisted of vegetables and pounded yams. Women would typically work 16 to 18 hours in the fields and then prepare one-pot meals for the family African’s encountered food supplies of the Europeans, they embraced foods such as turnips from Morocco and cabbage from Spain. Terms like “soul brother” “soul sister” and “soul music” were taking hold, “soul food” was natural. The word “soul” was used to honor their ancestors from the slavery era

Traditional Beliefs and Practice Strong kinship bonds Common for extended family to live in household Strong religious orientation Religious commitment is high In one study 85% of African Americans described themselves as religious. This is much larger than the 56% of the U.S. who describe themselves as religious Most are Protestant More than half of African American’s attend religious services as least once a week prayer is the most common way to deal with stress More religious than the US population as a whole Use of informal support network such as church or community Distrust of government and social services Strong sense of pride, do not like to admit they need help

Communication Practices Trust-building comes from listening, respecting silence, and honoring the elderly Because African-Americans have experienced much segregation in the health care and social service systems it is important to show respect. This will put them more at ease and establish rapport Use terms such as Mr. Mrs. And do not address by first name Familiar with Anglo-American communication patterns Prolonged eye-contact may be perceived as staring

Common Foods and Dishes Biscuits Black eyed- peas Barbeque beef short ribs Catfish Fried fish Chitlins Collard greens Corn bread Grits Okra

Daily Food Patterns Breakfast Most important meal of the day Can range from eggs and grits to just a bowl of cereal Lunch and Dinner Usually baked or fried chicken with either rice or pasta Vegetables Mash potatoes Rice or pasta Family meal time is very important

Holidays Celebrate the same traditional holidays as America does Kwanzaa seven-day festival in celebration of the African heritage of African Americans, beginning on Dec. 26.

Kwanza It is a traditional African harvest festivals but particularly emphasizes the role of the family and community in African- American culture. The celebration also includes the giving of gifts and a karamu, or African feast Principles Umoja- unity Kujichagulia- self- determination Ujima- collective work and responsibility Ujamaa- cooperative economics Nia- purpose Kuumba- creativity (celebrated on December 31 st ) Imani- Faith

Tradition Food Habits The greatest influence on many African-American families is the lifestyle of their parent or grandparents who lived in the southern United States The society is based on religious ceremonies, feasting, cooking, and raising food Popular term for African American cooking is “soul food” Common ways to prepare food includes frying, barbecuing, and serving foods with gravy and sauces Some religious groups have restrictions or dietary preferences Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses Meats are often breaded and fried because of the short cooking time

Traditional Food Habits For African slaves, after long hours working the evening meal was a time for families to gather, reflect, tell stories, and visit loved ones and friends Today, the Sunday meal after church serves as the prime gathering time Kwanza (“first fruits of the harvest” is a holiday celebration that focuses on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce and self-improvement Feast includes a black-eyed pea dish, greens, sweet potato pudding, cornbread, fruit cobbler, and any other special family dishes. Fork beliefs and remedies have been passed down through generations Medicinal uses of various foods

What a Dietician Should Know Many traditional foods are rich in nutrients Other parts of the diet are low in fiber, calcium, potassium, and high in fat. There is a high incidence of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and obesity They should focus on the way food is prepared Encourage people to modify the sodium, fat, and sugar content of traditional foods They should encourage their client to pay attention to portion size Any stereotyping or assumptions that “all” African American people like the same foods and have the same lifestyle should be avoided

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