Summary
Highlights
Pilar introduces herself and her company. She explains that she was inspired to create the documentary after realizing the extensive, yet unrecognized, knowledge that her own relatives held about food and traditional medicine. She touches on the fact that some doctors don't take traditional foods into account in their medical practice.
Pilar goes on to explain that some medical professionals look down upon traditional medicine and promote industrialized foods, leading to people feeling ashamed of their own traditional foods. By doing this, people lose a sense of who they are and end up feeling inferior. She explains that for a treatment or intervention to be successful, it has to be culturally relevant. She says that when people are told to eat foods that are not traditional or locally available, there's a higher chance for the intervention to fail. People end up unhappy and in poor health. She goes on to say that these problems are compounded by racism and racial stereotypes.
Pilar explains that she and her team work with children, showing them how to highlight the value of traditional foods. She hopes to make learning about food traditions more engaging for younger generations, who she says often take traditional foods for granted. She also teaches them how to research a recipe and study its history, ingredients, and evolution—an exercise she hopes strengthens intergenerational bonds.
Pilar explains that food has meaning, as it connects people to their personal, cultural, and ancestral histories. Food can help people understand why they like certain things and not others. The conversation touches on how being an immigrant can help a person learn to appreciate their traditional foods more. Additionally, eating food should be a pleasurable experience, that is important for our mental health, body image, and a relaxing experience, which ensures the food is digested properly.
Pilar discusses the idea that love and care are the 'secret ingredients' in delicious food, echoing sentiments from many expert cooks she has interviewed. She recalls her mother's advice to care for a cooking pot like a baby, emphasizing the attention and love required for food preparation. For Pilar, this highlights the profound trust involved in eating—the trust that the person who prepared the meal did so with care and did not intend to harm them. She then shares a comment from the live chat, emphasizing the powerful connection between women, food, and their cultural heritage.
Pilar underscores that food is not merely fuel, but also a livelihood and an experience. She draws attention to the fact that food is a source of income for many people, from farmers and cooks to grocery store workers. The conversation expands to the exploitation of farmers, noting that they are often underpaid, despite the immense effort and care they put into their work. She shares that her organization has a network of seed savers who help to preserve ancestral seeds, ensuring biodiversity and the continued growth of traditional crops. She explains that we have lost diversity in our food supply and that this has led to a decline in the nutritional value of our food. She then goes on to draw a connection between humans and the land, noting that the more disconnected we are from the land, the less healthy we are, emphasizing that there is a deep link between the environment and the micro-organisms that support our immune system.
Pilar delves into the emotional component of food, emphasizing its impact on mental and physical health. She explains that stress can weaken the immune system, and that taking time to relax while eating can improve digestion and overall well-being. She advocates for approaching meals with an open mind and a relaxed attitude. Pilar highlights the importance of shared meals and social connection, referencing a term in Spanish for the time spent conversing after a meal. She shares a student's surprising experience of being unable to eat alone after being accustomed to communal dining, illustrating how deeply eating is intertwined with social and cultural contexts. She concludes by stating that our brains, hearts, and digestive systems all work together, and that understanding these connections is crucial for comprehending health beyond mere nutrients.
Pilar shares exciting news about three new short films that will be premiering soon, born from a visual arts and food ethnography program in a rural Ecuadorian town. These films showcase traditional recipes cooked by older women, with the help of children and youth in the community, and will be screened virtually and in person. In closing, Pilar shares her favorite food, sweet plantains cooked with butter and cinnamon—a comfort food from her grandmother. Her favorite drink is mamey, a tropical fruit popular in the Caribbean, often enjoyed as a smoothie with milk. She says that the fruit is very sweet, so there is no need to add sugar.