Diaspora, Food and Identity
Nigerian Migrants in Belgium
Summary
The author questions the relationship between what Nigerian migrants in the diaspora eat, their self-perception and how they engage with outsiders. Starting with a historical introduction about the country, this study examines what aspects of the Nigerian food culture is retained and what has changed. This is reflected by the dynamics in the Nigerian homes, especially the gender roles.
The new generation of Nigerians, who see Belgium as home, also hang on to a Nigerian diet that remains not only an important part of who they are, but is also used in the creation of cultural boundaries and group identities. However, the influence of the new environment is very present because each diaspora community, wherever and whenever, must adapt. Skills such as language and social norms are indeed necessary to survive in the new environment. Yet, food plays a prominent role: on the one hand, it contributes to the affirmation of Nigerian feelings, and on the other hand, food serves as a means of communication with the host country.
Excerpt
Table Of Contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- About the author
- About the book
- This eBook can be cited
- Table of Content
- Acknowledgement
- Chapter One Introduction
- 1. A journey of different routes
- 2. Migrant Communities: Food, Identity and Belonging
- 3. Ethnicity, Culture and Diversity in Nigeria
- Chapter Two Unity in Diversity Unity in diversity
- 1. A Reflection of the Nigerian Food Culture
- 2. Food and Identity Construction in Nigeria
- Chapter Three The routes to a Nigerian foodway in Belgium
- 1. “O je mba enwe iwe”: perspectives on Nigerian migration trends
- 2. International migration trends: relating theories and concepts to the Nigerian migration context
- 3. The migration of Africans to Belgium
- 4. Nigerian migrants in Belgium
- 5. The demography of Nigerians in Belgium
- Chapter Four The Nigerian foodways in Belgium
- 1. Is it like home? Seeking familiar food in Belgium
- 2. Nigerian restaurants and the making of a diaspora foodway in Belgium
- 3. Whose food is it anyway: African shops and the making of a Nigerian foodway in Belgium
- 4. So they eat that too? Food products: genuine and substitutes
- Chapter Five Recreating home in a new place
- 1. The use of food in Nigerian homes in Belgium
- 2. Creating and negotiating identity in the Nigerian diaspora kitchen
- 3. Nigerian meal times in Belgium
- 4. Substitution and Fusion; some space for something new
- 5. A meal on the interracial table
- 6. Feeding the next generation
- 7. Eating, identity and being a young Nigerian in Belgium
- 8. Food-related gender roles in Nigerian householdsin Belgium
- 9. Dinning out
- 10. “Omenala ga adi” (traditions and customs will remain) but with something new too
- Chapter Six Conclusion – Foodscapes and Migrant Identity Formation
- 1. Migrants’ foodways in contemporary foodscapes
- 2. “Their food is good but ours is still the best”. Food, eating and being Nigerian in Belgium
- Appendix 1
- Appendix 2
- Appendix 3
- Bibliography
Maureen Duru
Diaspora, Food and Identity
Nigerian Migrants in Belgium
European Food Issues
Vol. 9
Published with the financial support of the VUB Belgium.
Cover picture: map from author, with the help of Chibuzor Anthony.
The book was subject to a double blind refereeing process.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photocopy, microfilm or any other means, without prior written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
© P.I.E. PETER LANG s.a.
Éditions scientifiques internationales
Bruxelles, 2017
1 avenue Maurice, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgique
www.peterlang.com brussels@peterlang.com
ISSN 2033-7892
ISBN 978-2-8076-0130-7
ePDF 978-2-8076-0211-3
ePub 978-2-8076-0212-0
Mobi 978-2-8076-0213-7
DOI 10.3726/b11082
D/2017/5678/28
Bibliographic information published by “Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek”.
“Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek” lists this publication in the “Deutsche Nationalbibliografie”; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at http://dnb.de.
About the book
This book examines the connection between food and identity in the Nigerian diaspora community in Belgium. Encounters between people from different cultures do not lead to a simple adaptation of the diet, but usually give rise to some kind of fusion of new and indigenous food habits.
The author questions the relationship between what Nigerian migrants in the diaspora
eat, their self-perception and how they engage with outsiders. Starting with a historical
introduction about the country, this study examines what aspects of the Nigerian food
culture is retained and what has changed. This is refl ected by the dynamics in the
Nigerian homes, especially the gender roles.
The new generation of Nigerians, who see Belgium as home, also hang on to a Nigerian
diet that remains not only an important part of who they are, but is also used in the
creation of cultural boundaries and group identities. However, the infl uence of the new
environment is very present because each diaspora community, wherever and
whenever, must adapt. Skills such as language and social norms are indeed necessary
to survive in the new environment. Yet, food plays a prominent role: on the one hand, it
contributes to the affi rmation of Nigerian feelings, and on the other hand, food serves
as a means of communication with the host country.
This eBook can be cited
This edition of the eBook can be cited. To enable this we have marked the start and end of a page. In cases where a word straddles a page break, the marker is placed inside the word at exactly the same position as in the physical book. This means that occasionally a word might be bifurcated by this marker.
Table of Content
1. A journey of different routes
2. Migrant Communities: Food, Identity and Belonging
3. Ethnicity, Culture and Diversity in Nigeria
Chapter Two Unity in Diversity
1. A Reflection of the Nigerian Food Culture
2. Food and Identity Construction in Nigeria
The routes to a Nigerian foodway in Belgium
1. “O je mba enwe iwe”: perspectives on Nigerian migration trends
2. International migration trends: relating theories and concepts to the Nigerian migration context
3. The migration of Africans to Belgium
4. Nigerian migrants in Belgium
5. The demography of Nigerians in Belgium
The Nigerian foodways in Belgium
1. Is it like home? Seeking familiar food in Belgium
2. Nigerian restaurants and the making of a diaspora foodway in Belgium
3. Whose food is it anyway: African shops and the making of a Nigerian foodway in Belgium
4. So they eat that too? Food products: genuine and substitutes←9 | 10→
Recreating home in a new place
1. The use of food in Nigerian homes in Belgium
2. Creating and negotiating identity in the Nigerian diaspora kitchen
3. Nigerian meal times in Belgium
4. Substitution and Fusion; some space for something new
5. A meal on the interracial table
6. Feeding the next generation
7. Eating, identity and being a young Nigerian in Belgium
8. Food-related gender roles in Nigerian households in Belgium
10. “Omenala ga adi” (traditions and customs will remain) but with something new too
Conclusion – Foodscapes and Migrant Identity Formation
1. Migrants’ foodways in contemporary foodscapes
2. “Their food is good but ours is still the best”. Food, eating and being Nigerian in Belgium
Bibliography←10 | 11→
The writing of this book would not have been achieved without the help of many people, who in different ways supported me and made themselves and their resources available to me during my doctorate research and the writing of the PhD thesis which form the basis for this book.
My profound gratitude goes to Professor Dr Peter Scholliers, my PhD academic supervisor, who despite my shortcomings and challenges never gave up on me. I sincerely thank him for taking out time to read the manuscript again, make comments, advice and support me throughout this process.
I thank the members of the Nigerian community who agreed to be interviewed, provided needed information and supported me during my PhD research. Although I cannot mention you all, I appreciate your support. I couldn’t have done this without your help especially Chief and Mrs Tajudeen Fasanya, Mr and Mrs John Ubah, Dr and Mrs Emmanuel Omanukwue, Aluba Kalu-Otis, Vena and Marylyn Ani. My heartfelt gratitude goes to Katrijn Asselberg, Charles and Chinyere Obi-Obasi for their help with the manuscript. I am also grateful to Mr Trevor Smith of Cadenza Consulting and Ms Eleonore Grave for proof reading my work.
I wish to acknowledge the support of Mr John Duru-Onweni and the Duru family (Emeka, Okey, Ogechi, and Tessy). The support of Pastor Ademola and Joan Farinu, Mrs Chinyere Heurion and Mrs Julie Anyikwa is very much appreciated. Ms Diana Dimbueni also has my profound gratitude for the cover images and her willingness to always use her creative skills to support my work and Chibuzor Anthony for helping with the cover graphics.
I also appreciate the assistance of the Vrije Universiteit Brussels, who sponsored the publication of this book and the editorial team of the Peter Lang publishing company.←11 | 12→ ←12 | 13→
Details
- Pages
- 314
- Publication Year
- 2017
- ISBN (PDF)
- 9782807602113
- ISBN (ePUB)
- 9782807602120
- ISBN (MOBI)
- 9782807602137
- ISBN (Softcover)
- 9782807601307
- DOI
- 10.3726/b11082
- Open Access
- CC-BY-NC-ND
- Language
- English
- Publication date
- 2017 (March)
- Keywords
- Nigerian Migrants Migration in Belgium Food and identity Nigerian diaspora Nigerian foodway in Belgium
- Published
- Bruxelles, Bern, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, New York, Oxford, Wien, 2017. 311 pp., 10 tables, 14 ill.
- Product Safety
- Peter Lang Group AG