A Non-Violent Dining Experience

“Ugh. It tastes like cardboard!” That was Cheyenne’s reaction to her first taste of a Costa Rican red banana. Her sentiments were echoed by most of the other elementary school students in the room. The humble tropical fruit was met with near-universal disgust.

The pomegranate fared much better. “This is 100% good,” announced one boy, his surprise at this discovery clear on his face.

And so it continued. Cajun jambalaya, egg rolls, enchiladas, Asian pears, mangoes, coconuts, star fruit, pluots, and a host of other exotic produce each made an appearance and were duly sampled by the twenty elementary students assembled for East End Cooperative Ministry’s Cultural Food Day.

Before each taste test, EECM staff spoke for a minute or two about the food about to be eaten – its origins, special qualities, and preparation requirements. There were also guest speakers who explained some of the cultural aspects of the foods being sampled. Mr. and Mrs. Brown, who originally hailed from New Orleans, brought the jambalaya. They talked about the history of Mardis Gras food and the difference between Cajun and Creole. A bit later, an Italian-American teacher from the students’ school shared her culture while everyone enjoyed lasagna.

Cultural Food Day isn’t just about good eating; it’s an important and carefully planned component of EECM’s violence prevention curriculum, funded by The Pittsburgh Foundation. The take-away message is simple and subtle: different doesn’t mean bad. Trying new and unfamiliar things is a positive experience, even if you don’t end up loving that new thing.

Lack of respect for the “other” is often at the root of human violence and the misunderstandings begin early. EECM seeks to combat violence at its root, by promoting acceptance of difference among our youngest students.

After all, if food from other people's cultures turns out to be delicious, maybe the people aren’t so bad themselves.