The food we eat is an important part of culture. It is also an expression of community identity. As American folklorist Millie Rahn writes, The kitchen, historically, is the place where families gather and where the everyday and the ceremonial meet and overlap. Here families interact and share private traditions, expressing identity through their food to each other and to the world. Creativity is alive in this space, from daily mealtimes to more elaborate feasts that mark rites of passage, religious and secular holidays, and other special events. This is where knowledge is passed on, from traditional ways of preparing and using various ingredients, implements, tools, and techniques to legends, stories, anecdotes, and cultural exchanges that have become part of familial and regional folklife. We all eat, and associate different layers of cultural meaning to the food we consume. Explorations of food, then, can be an easy conduit into the complex world of intangible cultural heritage. This article gives several examples from the safeguarding initiatives of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador that have used foodways as a means to get people thinking about, and engaged with, concepts of cultural transmission and heritage conservation.

From 1990 to 2010, as an ethnologist devoted to the process of heritagemaking, I investigated Alpine communities and their strategies in facing a changing world. In an historical perspective, my eldwork has been oriented to making memories and the ways they worked as strategies of resistance in facing the many uncertainties of the future (Certeau 1990).

This article describes one of Tuvalu’s renown intangible cultural heritages – the cultivation of pulaka. Pulaka (Tuvaluan) is known by different names in other countries, such as babai in Kiribati or via in Fiji, and also has different monikers in other countries like the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)—Korsae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, and Yap. Its scientific name is Cyrtosperma chamissonis and its common English name is the “giant swamp taro.” Pulaka is the traditional root crop for the people of the atolls but is also found in volcanic lands like Fiji, Pohnpei, Vanuatu, and others. In the latter case pulaka pro\u0002vided a vital source of food in times of shortages

One of the largest and earliest flows of culinary cultures and fresh produce to the Indian subcontinent emanated from Portugal. The Portuguese were ardent sailors. Their expeditions to voyage, discover, and conquer brought Western foods to the Eastern world. The Portuguese contributed foods that are now staples in the Indian diet. Goa became the chosen land as the local inhabitants were regular pork consumers, like these visiting sailors. This points to the influence in terms of food and consumerism by colonialists and settlers. The Goan cuisine has been shaped through these assimilations; the story is quintessential to the culinary history of the land.

Two frequently used proverbs in Korea are “like a rat caught in a jar” and “the sauce rather than the pot.” The first is used to describe someone caught in a difficult situation, like a rat that has fallen into a large onggi jar while the second means that the taste of the sauce contained within the pot is more important than what the pot looks like and is used to emphasize that content is more important than form.

Water bodies in the mountainous and coastal regions of Azerbaijan, including rivers, lakes, springs, and waterfalls, host many cultural ecosystems. These have led to both tangible and intangible cultural heritage creation and contain a perfect level of human–nature relations. Climate change is a complex phenomenon that is affecting all areas of human life, including \nwater-related ICH. Its effects cause existing traditions, knowledge, and skills to be gradually abandoned and forgotten, which in turn leads to the disappearance of ICH. Global climate change also affects employment among the population in other areas, such as agriculture and reduces traditional incomes. This leads to the gradual migration of the rural population to urban areas and, as a result, the loss of traditions related to intangible cultural values.

Traditional pottery making in some areas in Indonesia has taken place since prehistoric period, especially during the craftsmanship era, which lasted until the early centuries of the Common Era, as shown by archeological findings. This tradition continued until the historical period in which Hinduism and Buddhism developed in some Indonesian societies (eighth to tenth centuries CE). Furthermore, the increasing number of ritual activities related to Hinduism and Buddhism temples led to a significant increase in demand for terracotta-based pottery in various forms, such as jugs, crocks, cups, urns, and pots as well as in materials for statues, architectural parts (walls and roofs), and ornaments in the peaks of roofs. In the Indonesian Hinduism-Buddhism period, a variety of pottery forms could be found in sacred structures—for example, in the foundation of the buildings and in the yard of the temples for ceremonies related to worshiping gods, sacralization ceremonies, and ceremonies to begin building temples.

"In this region of many “lands” surrounded by water, knowledge of the land and its harvests is tied closely to identity and heritage. This section’s themes thus offer a closer look at how the knowledge of caring for the land and harvests is a way of feeling for the Pacific islanders. This ICH, in addition to coloring people’s interactions on the land and carrying expressions of respect, is a means of ensuring sustainability and prosperity.\nPacific islanders depend largely on the land and their harvests from it for their survival, but these also hold deeper meaning for life. To the people of Vanuatu, for instance, laplap soso'ur is more than an edible delicacy: it is a feature of their cultural identity and a means to bring people together across societal levels. Similarly, in Palau, the mesei taro fields are valuable property, but they are also much more in that these pieces of land are deeply connected to the identity of the people, particularly women, and figure prominently in the colorful oral histories of the Palauans. Both of these cases, along with the other themes in this section, reflect the profound value of ICH related to the Pacific islands and their harvests."

Bread making is more than a culinary tradition: it is an integral part of the Austrian Lesach Valley’s cultural heritage, which carries aesthetic, symbolic, and religious value for the community of the valley. Rituals, customs, and personal stories constitute the nature of the element and illustrate the high significance of the practice for the region.

Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar and the holiest month of the year for Muslims all over the world. During this period, Muslims fast (referred to as puasa in Malay) from sunrise to sunset every day throughout the month. Muslims will have their breakfast before sunrise (sahur) and they will break the fast after sunset (iftar).\n\nPrior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Muslims in Singapore visited mosques for their daily prayers and were encouraged to take part in an extra session of night prayers known as terawih during Ramadan. Muslim families as well as Singaporeans would throng the streets of Geylang Serai and Jalan Bussorah to enjoy outdoor street markets selling a wide variety of Malay culinary delights, gifts, and clothes.\n\nDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, mosques in Singapore are closed until further notice, and all Singaporeans are encouraged to stay at home. As a result, the Muslim community is unable to breakfasts together at the mosque and/or visit one another during Hari Raya Puasa, a celebration that marks the end of the fasting month.\n\nIn view of the above, the National Heritage Board of Singapore (NHB) and the Malay Heritage Centre (MHC) decided to collaborate on the #RamadanTogether campaign which seeks to connect the Muslim community through digital platforms and to educate the non-Muslim community on the intangible cultural heritage practices associated with Ramadan.\n\nThe month-long campaign comprises three key components: “Iftar Together,” which encourages Muslims to break the fast together online; “Masak Together,” which shares recipes on how to make traditional Hari Raya dishes at home; and “Concert Together,” which features “live” performances from local artists and arts groups.\n\nTo complement NHB’s digital offerings, MHC will also be producing a series of digital programs hosted on its social media platforms that feature community contributions. These include cooking and baking tutorials by well-known Malay personalities who will showcase family recipes for breaking the fast as well as traditional Hari Raya dishes. Videos and animations on traditional Hari Raya attire such as the baju kurung (a traditional loose-fitting outfit) and the kebaya (a traditional women’s dress) will also be produced.\n\nMHC’s #OnXOnRayaFest campaign will also involve a callout to members of the public to contribute user-generated content on how Hari Raya was celebrated in the past and how it is celebrated during these COVID-19 times to document the impact of the pandemic on intangible cultural heritage as practiced in the homes of the Muslim community in Singapore. Photo submissions from members of the public will be put up on MHC’s social media platforms and creative submissions will stand a chance to win attractive merchandise.\n\nIn addition, as part of its ongoing education and outreach efforts, MHC will also provide a glossary of terms associated with Ramadan and Hari Raya Puasa, offer bite-sized information focusing on Malay heritage and culture, and share traditional pantun (rhyming quatrains) greetings. MHC will also be working with local arts groups to produce Hari Raya music videos that will be filmed from home, to reach out to the community and lift up their spirits during the COVID-19 period.\n\nTo find out more about NHB’s #RamadanTogether campaign and MHC’s #OnxOnRayaFest campaign, please click on the following links: www.roots.sg/ramadan. and Malay Heritage Centre’s www.facebook.com/malayheritage respectively.\n\nPhoto : RamadanTogether Campaign ⓒ NHB

Singapore is a tiny Southeast Asian nation-state located in a region with many ethnic groups, of which the Chinese comprise only a small percentage of the overall population. Yet, the Chinese form the majority in Singapore, living alongside a significant proportion of non-Chinese. Over many years, this has led to a Chinese Singaporean identity that is complex and ever-changing.\n\nIn 2020, the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre launched a permanent exhibition to encourage greater appreciation of the distinctiveness of Chinese culture in Singapore through examples of food, festivals, and languages. For the exhibition title to reflect Singapore’s linguistic diversity, the curators invented a word by combining English and Mandarin—the two most widely spoken languages in Singapore. The first element of the title “Singapo” is drawn from the country’s English name while the “人” element is the Chinese character for “person” (pronounced as “ren” in Mandarin). Hence, by reading the two elements together, the exhibition title “ SINGAPO人” sounds like “Singaporean!”\n\nTo provide the context, the exhibition begins with an examination of five key historical socio-geographical aspects about Singapore that led the local Chinese community to develop differently. They comprised the legacy of 150 years of British colonial rule, its location in tropical Southeast Asia, heritage of early Chinese migrants who were mostly from the southern coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, the co-existence of a relatively large proportion of non-Chinese minorities, and Singapore’s reliance on global trade and connectivity for its economic survival.\n\nThese five aspects may be summarized into three basic driving forces that have shaped and continue to shape the Chinese culture in Singapore today. Firstly, there is Chinese heritage, which the early migrants brought to Singapore. These include their values (as reflected in festivals and practices), belief systems, language, customs, and food dishes that originated from China. Secondly, there are the cultural interactions among the different southern Chinese sub-groups (dialect groups) and between the Chinese community and the other ethnic groups in Singapore. These interactions ranged from the casual, such as attending to daily chores, to deeper levels of engagement, such as inter-marriage. These led to changes and adaptations to the way of life of the local Chinese. Thirdly, the Chinese community was also affected by how Singapore was governed. Whether during the colonial period or post-independence, all governments seek to shape society to achieve certain objectives. Hence, the impact of public policies and laws on cultural development is significant.\n\nIn other words, these are the three underlying key ingredients that give the Chinese Singaporean ‘recipe’ its distinct flavor. For instance, this is reflected in the way Chinese New Year is celebrated in Singapore. Firstly, the festival is a tradition that originated in China, and as such, is part of Chinese heritage (first ingredient). Although Chinese New Year does not coincide with the new year of the Gregorian calendar used in Singapore, it is nevertheless a public holiday and held in high regard by the local Chinese because it is a festival that emphasizes family togetherness and filial piety. Secondly, Singaporeans love to eat pineapple tarts and love letters during Chinese New Year. However, these snacks did not originate from China. Rather, they were made popular by the Peranakan (local-born) Chinese who often adopted Western techniques like the baking oven, and Western ingredients such as butter in their cuisine. This type of hybrid food is an example of cultural interaction (second ingredient) at work. Thirdly, during Chinese New Year, Singaporeans enjoy attending local festive events like Chingay and River Hongbao. These are large-scale public events organized by the state or state-sponsored organizations. This is an example of public policies (third ingredient) shaping the way in which Chinese New Year is celebrated in Singapore.\n\nHence, these three ingredients, found in many overseas Chinese communities, were present in the past and continue to exist in Singapore today. The influence of each ingredient varies with time, creating complex outcomes that shape Chinese Singaporean culture.\n\nFor more information about the exhibition SINGAPO 人, please refer to the SCCC website at: https://singaporeccc.org.sg/permanent-exhibition/\n\nPhotos 1~4 : The exhibition uses both physical and digital media content to engage visitors. © Low Sze Wee

"The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to designate tteok making (떡만들기), Korean rice cake making, as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The designation will recognize the making and sharing of Korean rice cakes as a traditional culture and way of life.\n\nKoreans have made tteok by steaming grain flour in siru, a traditional steamer, or by boiling or baking, depending on the type of the rice cake being made. From a long time ago, Koreans have enjoyed making and sharing different kinds of tteok for major milestones in their lives as well as for important national holidays.\n\nHistorically, rice cakes have been a key offering for various rituals. They include rites held for village gods wishing for peace and prosperity as well as similar rites held for house gods like sangdalgosa. Rice cakes are also offered at gut rituals held by traditional shamans. In modern-day Korea, people distribute tteok to others in their community when they open a business or move into a new place.\n\nIn many ways, tteok is more than just a delicacy—given that Koreans distribute rice cakes to others for special moments of their lives, it can be considered an embodiment of sharing and generosity as well as a symbol of the unique Korean concept of jeong or a deep connection and harmony.\n\nIt is also notable how different types of rice cake are made for different occasions and how they have a story of their own. This makes tteok intangible cultural heritage that people need to learn to fully understand Korean culture.\n\nIt is unclear when Koreans started making rice cakes. However, archaeological findings show that Koreans have been eating rice cake since ancient times. Siru has been unearthed in historic sites of the bronze age and iron age. Siru can also be seen in the mural of fourth-century Anak Tomb No. 3 in South Hwanghae, North Korea."\n\nPhoto : Two women shaping tteok CCBYSA World to Table / Wikimedia