[Sca-cooks] Food and racism and colonialism

[Suey]

On 9/7/12 9:52 PM, Ana wrote:
> Interesting discussion about racism as taboo topic in this list. For
> me, born in Latinamerica but living in Europe for the most of my adult
> life, it was not easy to reconciliate myself with my Spanish
> ancestors, a part of those Europeans who emigrated to the New World in
> the 16th century.
> They plundered and killed and stole all the food we eat now, corn,
> potatoes, tomatoes, chili, beans, coffe, sugar, spices. They were
> deeply racists and didn't see one of the cultures they met as their
> equals.
> Quite a joke. The biggest part of Englishmen, French and Spaniards
> were illiterate, many of them convicts and felons. They met Maya and
> Inca civilizations which were superior than them, but lacked weapons
> and horses and weels. It was the only reason of their victory.
> The whole history of food is an history of colonialism and racism.
> Weird not being able to discuss it here.
> Ana
My great-great-great grandfather's brother ventured to the Americas but 
as a university graduate. He was the second son of titled nobility 
married to a tiltled lady. They  ventured to the new world in the 16th 
century for adventure like James Mitchener's description of US college 
grads venturing to Iberia in the 20th Century.
Neither he nor his wife, nor his children were convicts, illiterate, 
felons or what have you. On the contrary, they were as aristocratic as 
the Mendozas from Spanish cardinal's family.
Family accounts led my family up to the 19th century which consisted of 
blacks and native Indians as staff members at their homes. My American 
ancestors did not kill on the contrary our records reveal that one was 
attacked by the natives and lost his right arm because of an arrow from 
that. By the 17th C descendants of the founding father in America were 
all university grads thanks to their parents sending the sons to Europe 
and founding universities in America.
The class system remains in many Latin countries. As our family accounts 
testify, blacks can only enter the home through the back door. Laborers 
never enter the home but we Latins take care of our people like family. 
Gringos do not understand the difference between class lines and 
protecting our servants. Perhaps that is a difference between Gringos 
and Latins.
Food history is another chapter concerning class system history. 
Tomorrow - enough for today.
My cats are begging for tuna fish. And you?
Suey