Food Heritage : "You are what your ancestors ate"
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Who are your roots?

Investigating your roots . . .

Cultural &Ethnic Group Resources

Where do you live? Thurston County Resources

What is Food Heritage? Retrospective understanding of human history allows us to see that culture grows literally from the roots up. Food is the driving force behind the creation of society or the social relationships that bind people together. As groups of people see in common the good of their food resources and the land from which it is gathered, hunted or produced, societal ideas are given importance. Value is placed on work, family, government, and/or spirituality. In this way meanings of life and meanings of eating are formed. Because culture is connected by its roots into the very ground from which food is obtained, there is a deep connection between people and land. The closer people are to their food production the closer this connection becomes. Across the globe and throughout time, this process has repeated many times resulting in not only diversity among food habits, but also among ways of life. Many people are not aware of their particular connections. The knowledge of their particular food heritage have been diluted or lost completely.

 

What are the factors that influence your personal food choice? In this day in age the major choices include which grocery chain you shop at, which brand do you prefer, how much does it cost, etc. Food availability is no longer a controlling force in the USA. If you want a head of lettuce in the middle of the winter you can have it. Availability of food is not limited by season or geographic features. This recent developement has shifted the reasons why and how we eat.

 

Within each and every one of us there is a deeper mechanism affecting the choices we make. How and what you choose to eat is influenced by your personal history. Each of us are linked to people and places of the past. The line of ancestors who have contributed to your personal genetic make-up are present in these decisions. The power of personal taste and food choice overshadow this history to the extent that many of us are unaware of the presense of the past in our veins. Our bodies are the evolved result of thousands of years of food choice, ennvironmental stresses, and diseases. Your body is accustomed to the particular factors that have influence your personal line of ancestors. The fruition of food choice becomes apparent for many people each year. Cancer, diabetes, and heart disease are thought by many to be diseases related to malnutrition. These diseases and the food choices that lead to them are responsible for over 60 percent of deaths in the USA.

The resources you will find below are only a beginning of what is available to you on the Internet and elsewhere. I encourage you to keep exploring.

If you have any questions or concerns about Food Heritage: "You are what your ancestors ate", please contact angela@masoncountyliteracy.org

 

Who are your roots?

Ask yourself this . . .
What diseases are prevalent in your family history?
What food allergies do you or your family members have?
Who are your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc?
What are your families traditional foods and dishes?
What is your religious background?
What is your ethinic make-up?
Do you have cultural or religious celebrations? How are they celebrated?

If you can answer most of these questions . . . great! You have some knowledge of your food heritage. Keep exploring and read further for resources about contacting people with similar food histories.

If you find you are lacking in your knowledge, read the following steps to learning more about your food heritage.

 

 

 

 

 

Photos were taken from the Olympia Ethnic Celebration 2005. To see more go to the Olympian Gallery.

 

 

Investigating your roots . . .

1.
 Think about everything you know about who your family is and then WRITE IT DOWN.
2.
 Think about what is missing from what you know. Talk to your elders- mother, father, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great grandparents, etc. It is a good idea to be prepared before you start talking to your family. Create a list of specific questions that you want answered- the more specific the questions, the more specific the answer. Decide how you want to record what you find (pen & paper, tape recorder, film, etc.).
3.
 Once you have some information (names & dates) you can explore further. Check out some of the genealogy resources below to guide you from here.

 

For a complete list of internet resources concerning Genealogy, visit Timberland Regional Library

For Genealogy resources specific to Thurston County, visit the GenWeb Project, Kindred Trails , or Census Records.org

 

Cultural & Ethnic Group Resources
Now that you've learned more about your own particular food heritage and ancestral past, keep exploring your culture by finding out what other people are doing. Your journey will take you beyond food and into dance, music, art, and much, much more!

Thurston County Cultural & Ethnic Clubs

  • Sons of Italy, Bela Vita Lodge #2285, meets 8 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at Lacey American Legion Hall, 2602 Marvin Road S.E. Call 360-491-0218.
  • Mas Uda Middle Eastern Dancers, meets each Thursday at the Capitol City Ballet Studio, 1802 State Ave. N.E., Olympia, and Sundays at its studio, 5840 Stellar Lane S.E., Lacey. Welcomes all levels of participation and teaches all levels from beginner to professional dancer. Call Kashani, 360-459-3694.
  • The Olympia Highlanders Bagpipe Band, formed in 1972, is a nonprofit band promoting the traditions and culture of Scotland. The Highlanders welcome participation; piping and drumming instruction is offered to prospective members. Band meets at 6 p.m. each Thursday at West Hills Deli, 1800 Cooper Point Road S.W., Building 13, Olympia. Call Bill Collins, 360-943-8824, or Stan Kildow, 360-264-2156.

Western WA Cultural & Ethnic Clubs

  • Nordic Study Circle: Contact Coordinator Brian Magnusson, Lee Lundgren, 759-9903, 972 12th Ave
    Fox Island, WA 98399
  • Nordlandslaget Nordlyset: Contact President Guttorn Gregersen, 531-3806 Marvin Peterson, 752-9325,
    17012 6th Ave Ct S Spanaway, WA 98387
  • United Filipino Americans: Contact Presidents Margy & Ray Portugal, 770-1770, 16603 91st Ave E
    Puyallup, WA 98373
  • British Wives Club: Contact Mrs. Beardon, 535-4225, 13816 12th Ave S Tacoma, WA 98444

 

Where do you live? Thurston County Resources

Now you know more about where you are from, next it is time to learn more about where you live now! Below, follow the links to explore the historical places, nature trails, parks, and wildlife of Thurston County and surrounding area.