The Moreish Podcast: Caribbean History, Culture, and Cuisine

Get ready for the launch of Season 2 of The Moreish Podcast. In this recap episode Hema revisits the key themes and highlights from Season 1.

The podcast explores the intricate history of the Caribbean, examining how colonialism has shaped present-day culture and cuisine. We look back at key discussions including Keja Valens' insights on colonialism, the historical accounts of the Arawak and Carib peoples, and the enduring influences of colonization on local food traditions. The episode also touches on the significant contributions of British, French, Dutch, and other European powers in the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the introduction of indentured servants from South Asia. In Season 2 we'll dive deeper into Caribbean history with expert guests and personal stories, continuing to trace cultural practices and cuisine back to their historical roots.

Resources:

Caribbean Yard Campus courses

This episode includes excerpts from:

• Exploring Caribbean Culinary History with Keja Valens
• Land of 365 Beaches: Antigua & Barbuda
• The Nature Island: Dominica
• Hairouna, Land of the Blessed: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• One Island, Two Countries: St. Martin / Sint Maarten
• Slave Voyages: Interview with Gregory O’Malley and Nafees M. Khan
• West Indian Diplomacy: An Interview with Melissa, West Indian historian
• Djamil Ninsoo, Afro-Indo Jamaican Cultural Advocate
• Carnival Chronicles: From Roots to Roads with David Bremang
• More Than Jerk Chicken: Jamaica
• The Spice Island: Grenada

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In this episode of The Moreish Podcast, Hema chats with Tiara Jade Chutkhan, a writer and book blogger in the Canadian publishing industry.

Tiara discusses her book series Two Times Removed: An Anthology of Indo-Caribbean Fiction, the motivation behind the book series, and her efforts to promote literature focused on the Indo-Caribbean heritage.

The conversation touches on the balance of Indian roots, Caribbean heritage, and North American upbringing, exploring cultural identity, representation, and the Indo-Caribbean diaspora.

Resources:

Connect with Tiara on Instagram, TikTok or on her website.

Two Times Removed: An Anthology of Indo-Caribbean Fiction

Two Times Removed Volume II: An Anthology of Contemporary Indo-Caribbean Stories

Two Times Removed Volume III: An Anthology of Indo-Caribbean Futures

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In this episode of The Moreish Podcast, Hema delves into the rich and complex history of Caribbean cuisine with Keja Valens, Professor of English at Salem State University and author of Culinary Colonialism, Caribbean Cookbooks, and Recipes for National Independence.

They discuss creolization, the myth of cannibalism amongst the Caribbean Indigenous population, and the political and cultural significance of historical cookbooks in the Caribbean.

Keja shares insights from her academic research and other works, highlighting how colonialism shaped and transformed Caribbean food and culture. Don't miss this deep dive into the intricate tapestry of Caribbean culinary and cultural history.

Resources:

Learn more about Keja Valens

Culinary Colonialism, Caribbean Cookbooks, and Recipes for National Independence - Keja Valens

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In this episode of The Moreish Podcast, Hema and David Bremang delve into the rich history and cultural significance of Carnival in the Caribbean, David’s work with Caribana in Toronto and Caribbean music.

From the Cedula of population in the French Caribbean islands, African traditions, and storytelling, David uncovers the layers to tell the story of Carnival starting in Trinidad and spreading across the region. He touches on the Canboulay Riots, J'Ouvert, and his personal favourite music genres from around the Caribbean.

Connect with David:

Instagram

FoundMissing.co

Friyie

CrownMas TO

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In this episode of the Moreish Podcast, Chef Devan Rajkumar, known for his Cityline TV appearances and social media presence as Chef Dev, talks about his Guyanese and South Asian roots and his culinary journey.

He talks about his debut cookbook, Mad Love: Big Flavours Made to Share from South Asia to the Caribbean, recounts his early culinary career, the influence of his family's heritage, and his world travels. The episode also explores the cultural connections in Indo-Caribbean cuisine and Chef Dev's mission to modernize traditional Caribbean dishes.

Connect with Devan Rajkumar on his website, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube

Resources:

Mad Love Cookbook

The Food Dudes

Chef Dev on CityLine

Foodie Nation

Chef Jason Peru The Social

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In this episode of The Moreish Podcast, Hema chats with Djamil Ninsoo, also known as douglabwoy on social media, an Afro-Indo Jamaican cultural advocate and anthropologist.

Djamil, who has authored a children's book 'Eva My Nani-Ji', shares his experiences of promoting Jamaican culture and heritage, specifically focusing on the contributions of indentured Indians.

They discuss the nuances of Afro-Indo Jamaican identity, the historical context of indentured servitude, and the integration of diverse cultural influences. Djamil shares insights on terms like 'dougla' and 'coolie', their offensive and reclaimed usages, and the cultural intersections with the Chinese indentured labourer community. He also speaks about his personal journey of reconnecting with his roots and the impact of diaspora on cultural identity.

The episode wraps up with Djamil talking about his upcoming books and his efforts to preserve and celebrate his heritage through storytelling.

Resources

Connect with Djamil on Instagram and TikTok

Eva My Nani-Ji by Djamil Ninsoo Article: Putting the Half-Stories Back Together Again with Djamil Ninsoo Article: Do Jamaicans Dream of Dhal Puri?

The Last Kantraki

Pardes Chale, Beverly Panchan Ramprasad

Finding Samuel Lowe

Black Cake (book)

The Cutlass Podcast

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In this episode of The Moreish Podcast, Hema sits down with Chef Mireille to delve into her multifaceted background and culinary journey, in her final episode with the podcast.

Mireille joined us as co-host for Season 1 of The Moreish Podcast, and now it's time to get to know the other projects she is working on. She shares insights about her mixed Caribbean heritage, her passion for cooking, and her experiences working in various culinary settings.

The conversation covers the influence of diverse cultures on her culinary expertise, her stance on food authenticity and adaptation, and the importance of storytelling in preserving food traditions. They also discuss dealing with social media negativity and the impact of representation in the food space.

To wrap up, Mireille gives a sneak peek into her upcoming projects, including a cooking course and more consistent content for her YouTube channel.

Resources

Connect with Mireille on Instagram and TikTok

Chef Mireille’s website and recipes: https://globalkitchentravels.com/

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In this episode of The Moreish Podcast, Hema and Mireille speak with Melissa Goolsarran Ramnauth, a Florida-based trademark and business attorney, historian, and the mind behind WestIndianDiplomacy.com and the West Indian History Instagram account. Melissa shares her journey of exploring her Trinidadian and Guyanese heritage, the challenges of preserving Indian indentured servant and African enslaved people's records in the Caribbean, and her efforts to digitize these crucial historical documents. She highlights the rapidly deteriorating condition of these records in some countries and her petition to preserve and make the records accessible. The episode delves into topics of colonialism, communal strife between ethnic communities in the Caribbean, and the rich cultural heritage expressed through cuisine.

Connect with Melissa:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/westindianhistory/

Website & Petition: https://westindiandiplomacy.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/libraryofwestindianhistory

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lawyer_Melissa

Resources:

slavevoyages.org

Coolie Woman by Gaiutra Bahadur

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This episode features an in-depth conversation with Dr. Nafees M. Khan and Dr. Gregory O'Malley, key contributors on the Operational Committee behind the Slave Voyages database.

We explore the database's journey from inception and collaborative history in the 1970s to a CD ROM to an extensive online resource documenting over 12.5 million African forced migrations during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

With essays and timelapse maps showing the movement of ships across the Atlantic, the database includes voyages, people (enslavers and enslaved) & vessels.

The discussion continues with an exploration of the database's contribution to documenting over 35,000 Trans-Atlantic slave trading voyages, emphasizing its development, the methodology behind data collection, and its significance for understanding the slave trade's scope and impact. Khan and O'Malley explain the transformation of data collection from punch cards to an accessible online platform, underscoring its value for education and research on the African diaspora and slave trade intricacies. The episode broadens into a discussion on race, culture, and the depth of African records within the database, revealing its educational potential through lesson plans, interactive maps, and detailed searches.

Resources

slavevoyages.org

Slave Voyages on Facebook

Final Passages: The Intercolonial Slave Trade of British America, 1619 - 1807 - Gregory O’Malley Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl - Harriet Ann Jacobs

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