Raisins or not? Puding debates splights island nation

It is not cricket or politics that triggers the most enthusiastic debate in Antigua and Barbuda.

It is a dear national dish content.

The question of whether “Dukana” – a sweet potato and coconut dumplings – raisins should not be involved or not, have divided local residents for decades.

Picent pudding is one of the many foods eaten widely in the Caribbean country, which originates in Africa and still alive.

And its inclusion in a national list of cultural heritage being created currently is ready to rule the Jokular dispute.

The traditional food of Antigua and Barbuda is just one aspect of the functioning, which is to preserve different characteristics of twin eyeles.

The inventory will also include its unique dialect, Bush medicine, sports, crafts, architecture and boat-making techniques.

The Mammath Venture being funded by the UN cultural body, UNESCO, follows the concern that the major elements of the cultural identity of the country are losing, the project leader Dr. Hajra Medica explains.

“Now there is no traditional transmission of knowledge from old to young people,” she tells the BBC.

“Without this, we start losing the feeling of who we are.

More than two dozen specially trained data collectors have been tasked to interview the residents of each pale, gather stories, photos and information. The results will be carefully recorded in a publicly accessible database.

Local author Joy Lawrence required very little encouragement to participate.

Former school student books focus a lot on the country’s Creol/English dialect that weaves in many African words from the ancestors of Antiguans.

English can be the main language, but Petox is spoken at a rapid pace, omnipresent and is used regularly to show kinship and cameradry.

“When the British brought the Africans here, they could not speak English and the British could not speak the African language. Because the Africans came from everyone and spoke different languages, they do not believe in the most parts either. Could, “Ms. Lawrence says. ,

“To communicate, the Africans borrowed some vocabulary from the British and included their own pronunciation and syntax to create a peasant cheese. From generations, it became full and developed structure and grammar.”

Prior to a few generations, the Antiguan dialect was inserted and children were usually forbidden to speak at school. There are still some who see their nose on it today, Ms. Lawrence said.

“Our forefathers worked hard to shrink that language,” she claims. “This is our first language; how can we not protect us what is our? It is not a written language and we do it in any old way, but it has rhythm and I am proud of it.”

The dialect is characterized by the “economy of words” and rare pronouns, it continues.

“We do not waste time to say ‘not’ at all; we just say ‘Tarl’. Instead of ‘come here’, we say ‘cumyah’. And we never call it, this or that always or that Is.”

In places such as school and church, dialect is used for “emphasis, clarity and reinforcement”. “Because we think in it,” Ms. Lawrence says.

Dr. Medica believes that disagreement in the “right” way to do something is a reason to do something.

Ways to stirring “fungi”, a cornmil paste that is also from Mother Continent, and okay what to add it is another friendly goat.

“The idea is that it is how it is done and should always be done. Sometimes young people are not ‘right’ and closed.

“In workshops, we saw the ‘fungus war’. Annients say that it should be okra, while boring is added to peas, which pantage in shock,” Dr. Medica smiles.

Novella Payne- Who produces a series of tea, sauce and seasoning under his “Granma Aki” brand-he learns everything she knows from her mother and grandmother, but for time-respecting dishes she ” Fold “adds”.

“Seasoning is one that separates the antiguan food – garlic, onion, thyme and spice chili,” she explains.

Many compositions of Ms. Payne have local medicinal plants, for a long time, from cough and fever to rashes and nausea. Soursop, lemongrass, Noni and Moringa regularly appear in its syrup and juice.

“Our food is delicious, nutritious and should be preserved as it is part of our culture and heritage,” she says.

The project was recently inducted into Antigua’s sister Isle, Barbuda, where Dwite Benjamin is trying to keep the art of traditional broom alive.

Sri Benjamin uses palm leaves, which should be dried in the sun for two days, to make bristles before weaving them on a stick prepared from a bay tree.

The techniques were passed on him by his grandfather and an accountant by Mr. Benjamin, an accountant by profession, who is still one of the few people who sweep and sell.

He says that he remains in high demand among the residents of Barbuda.

They say, “I can be biased, but I find them more effective than the store -stored broom – when you use them you feel the difference. They also cover the land too,” they say Are.

“It is no longer widely practiced, but it’s something we should cherish and document. I hope my son will pick it up.”

Dr. For Medica, the project still has deep importance.

“When we talk about culture in the Caribbean Islands, we forget the engagement with our colonial past and its influence. We have been told that our history started when the Africans were brought here, this While presenting the perception that we came in the form of empty ships, she says.

“The big thing about this work is a great evidence of African cultural retention. As such people we can claim, ‘This is us.”

“In the dialect, when someone treats you incorrectly, we say ‘Me Smadi (someone) too’,” she says. “And this is the whole project; it is a personality claim.”