Food for creating the future with our own hands – Food and Identity –
This may sound a bit too serious, but until around 150 years ago, the territory we now identify “Okinawa” was governed by a kingdom known as Ryukyu, which lasted approximately 450 years. The Battle of Okinawa, Japan’s annexation, the presence of the US armed forces, and the Japanese government’s intent on turning Okinawa into a resort destination have all had significant impacts on the local food culture from the Ryukyu Kingdom and prewar days.
In the postwar burnt fields, the crops that could be grown were limited, the precious seeds passed down from generation to generation were lost, and “pork and egg rice balls” were born from canned pork brought in by the US military, and “taco rice,” rice with taco filling on top, have now become popular Okinawan foods.
Of course, I recognize one may argue that such changes are part of culture.
However, the many native vegetables in Ryukyu/Okinawa, the custom of raising pigs, cows, and goats in each household and eating their lives on festive occasions, as well as the techniques, wisdom, and attitude of preserving the precious protein sources of meat and fish with salt in order to eat thoroughly, have gradually disappeared from Ryukyu/Okinawa people’s lives as a result of a rapidly changing society that has seen wars and domination by others.
After the war, when people were so desperate that they would not have enough food even the next day, they may have urgently sought to adapt and fit into Japanese society, changing their culture and ways of life in order to improve their lives. Since I am now living and cannot feel the anguish of that period in the same manner, I can only believe that this was the finest decision they could have taken at the time.
Yet, the rapidity of today’s society is distorting every part of our lives. Rapid biodiversity loss, depletion of fossil resources, escalating climate change, and an endless amount of garbage that does not return to nature. These are the difficulties that the world is facing which cannot be addressed without simultaneous global action. Despite these huge challenges, Okinawa continues to actively pursue development, people are migrating to cities, and nature is being changed in the drive of urbanization. If things continue as they are, we will forget “what Okinawa is”, “what kind of place Okinawa was”, and “who we are”.
The dishe included in this booklet is also essential, healthy meals that have helped the people living in the Miyako region—a region comprised of even smaller islands within Okinawa Prefecture—to support their way of life.
Ten days after a new baby was born, the locals celebrated by bringing manju (papaya), Ffumami (native black azuki beans), Sariizu (dried sardines), and Kubu (kelp) stewed in miso (soybean paste) to the mother of the child. They also distributed these items throughout the community to share the joy with everyone. It was also an invaluable offering to the leaders, who would pray for several days in a row as a custom to uphold the island’s serenity and the livelihoods of people on the island.
Thus, learning a single recipe gradually reveals the lifestyles, relationships, and cherished values of the people of that era. It also leads to all kinds of wisdom and skills including the combination of ingredients, seasonality, nutrients, preservation techniques, and how to make tools. We can also learn that such food activities were very nature oriented and ecologically conscious.
“We are only one gear in the wheel of the earth’s ecology, and we all live off the wealth of nature.” It can sound like a cliche or a pie in the sky, but if you discover the true meaning of regional cuisine, you will find that it is a very real and straightforward fact. I feel that such warm, leisurely, and wonderful food has been passed down across the world and is not exclusive to Indigenous Peoples.
I’ve got a suggestion.
How about we look at our own feet, reflect, rediscover the beauty of food, and share them with the future generations?
Dai Kitabayashi
Slow Food International Councilor
Slow Food Indigenous Peoples Network Advisory Board
Board of Slow Food Nippon
Former Leader of Slow Food Ryukyus