Foodways, Rituals, and Festivals

What, how, for whom, where, and when food is cooked and served are relevant questions that shape the dynamics of foodways, rituals, and festivals in Asia. On the one hand, food holds sacred values, and on the other hand, it often becomes a mode through which taboos and restrictions are expressed and experienced. An integral part of festivals and ceremonies in Asia, food is a means of bonding and togetherness, and at the same time, it is also a means to draw boundaries among people, communities, and generations.