THE ROOT AND THE ROUTE:

West African Foodways: Talk and Taste

WRITTEN BY WGS EDITORIAL CONTENT PRODUCER INTERN, SOFIA WILKINSON (she/her), PHOTOS BY REESE MOORE (she/her)

Grouper, broken rice, tomatoes, yuka, and cabbage are just a few of the ingredients in the traditional dish of Senegal, thieboudienne (“tea-boo-Jen”). Thieboudienne (pictured below) translates to “rice and fish” and is cooked with vegetables, herbs, and spices in a rich tomato sauce. But thieboudienne is more than a meal; it represents Senegal’s culinary identity through its spices and cooking methods. Although it may seem like a simple dish, it has a history as rich as its sauce. This discussion, cooking demo, and sampling explore thieboudienne’s origins.

In this discussion, moderated by WGS Director, Dr. Lauren Ravalico, with WGS Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Régine Michelle Jean-Charles, Chef Bintou N’Daw Young, and History and African Studies Assistant Professor Dr. John Cropper, discuss the history of how thieboudienne came to be.

Before we dive into the multifaceted history of the dish we must first acknowledge the foodways of the dish. Jean-Charles refers to foodways as “how food moves throughout the continent, but also, the diaspora.” She emphasizes the importance of knowing and acknowledging what she calls the “roots” and “routes” within Africana Studies and the diaspora. We often focus on the origin of things without thinking about how they even got there in the first place, or in this case, the “route” they took to get there. Of course, it is important to acknowledge that thieboudienne is an African dish, but versions are also present in the Caribbean and the tomatoes came from the “New World.” Thus, we begin to see the foodways “roots” and “routes” unfold.

Cropper describes thieboudienne as “historically dynamic” and reminds us that tomatoes are not native to Africa. Tomatoes were introduced in 1492 after “Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Yet, N’Daw Young reminds us that because Saint-Louis, Senegal, is a port of trade, new foods were constantly being brought in. Specifically, it was the Portuguese who brought stew and tomatoes to Senegal’s port city. These items were discovered by the Wolof. Furthermore, the recipe calls for rice, which originates from China.

Nonetheless, the star of the show is Senegalese. The fish, one of the main ingredients, is a staple in Senegal. So, although this dish consists of “New World” ingredients that ended up in Africa, the way it is cooked and the spices and herbs make it a Senegalese specialty. We get thieboudienne by using staple foods like fish and conch and throwing Africanized tomatoes, spices, and herbs all in one pot.

The diversity of ingredients is not the only thing that makes this dish special. The fact that this dish is constantly “en route” makes it a great example of foodways and the way food is affected by diaspora.

Variations of thieboudienne are present in many African and Caribbean countries. Whether it’s a difference in spices or not including an ingredient, thieboudienne has become a popular dish throughout the diaspora. We now know that thieboudienne is rooted in the “New World” but en route with the African diaspora. Furthermore, thieboudienne is not the only example of foodways brought up in the discussion and demonstration.

N’Daw Young provided the audience with the traditional dish she learned from her grandmother and a popular juice drink in Senegal called sorrel. Sorrel is also known as Vsop but predominantly known as Hibiscus. This juice, when made in Senegal, is quite simple, yet much like thieboudienne, this juice is constantly “en route.” In the Caribbean, they add more stuff like ginger and other ingredients. Where I am from in Mexico, it is called Agua de Jamaica and consists of sugar, hibiscus, and water. In Mexico, Hibiscus, being called Jamaica, is a perfect example of the root and the route. Because it is common in Jamaica, the name stuck. Despite this, the same ingredients used in Senegal or the Caribbean are not used in Mexico, showing the route it took.

The purpose of this event was not only to teach the audience about thieboudienne and guide them through the culinary world of Senegal but also to discuss the importance of foodways.

Moreover, something as simple as a country’s traditional dish can have a deep history. The discussion, demonstration, and tasting, West African Foodways: Talk and Taste, is more than a culinary exploration; it celebrates heritage and identity. It is an in-depth analysis of the roots and routes that foods take worldwide, specifically throughout the diaspora.

So, next time you’re enjoying a dish from a different country, stop and think about its roots and the routes the ingredients have taken to become the dish they are today.

Watch West African Foodways: Talk and Taste on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr_YXDcGxCc&t=84s