It is fascinating to discover correlation between food and social interaction. Beside fulfilling physical needs, food can also satisfy spiritual needs.
In many cultures around the world, it is almost certain that there are traditional foods associated with specific days or celebrations that are widely enjoyed by many people.
For instance, “Ketupat” become a general symbol with Eid al Fitr, holy celebration for Muslims in Indonesia. Basically this simple dish is a rice cake inside a diamond shaped coconut leaves braid. Despite its simplicity, there’s a lot of philosophy behind it. Four corners symbolized four directions with one center. In term of religious value, this means that any way human live their life will always found their way back towards God. In Javanese ketupat believed derived from “Ngaku Lepat”, literally means “Confession of Guilt” which is the main value of Eid al Fitr. Generally ketupat served with any other protein based meal, but more importantly it’s enjoyed together with the loved ones.
Ultimately, traditional food carries more than just a food, it comes along with heritage and sense of belonging across generations. Preserving existence of traditional food helps elder to cherish their past while also connects younger generation to their roots. Traditional foods create a unique connection to an individual’s cultural identity, strengthen an emotional bond that remains with them regardless of where they go.