University Presentation Showcase: Undergraduate Poster Gallery
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Creation Date
Spring 2024
Major
Anthropology
Department
Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work
Degree
Undergraduate
Mentor
Amanda S. Green
Mentor Department
Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work
Abstract
Appalachian foodways, the cultural practices of obtaining, preparing, and eating food in Appalachia, have evolved alongside the various cultures that have lived in and around the region. Appalachian foodways are steeped in Native American tradition with large influences from immigrated European cultures including but not limited to the Scots-Irish, Germans, and Spanish. Some aspects of Appalachian foodways have remained constant for centuries, while others continue to adapt and evolve. This research project aims to give context to the evolution of Appalachian foodways into modernity, ending in what can be described as the “industrial foraging” era. Through oral history interviews with questions centered around the evolution of foodways throughout the interviewees’ life, this project sought to understand what might have brought these cultural changes. Today, the vast majority of Appalachian residents obtain their food at a grocery store or from restaurants.
