Study Notes on Taste and Taboo

Introduction to Taste and Taboo

Overview of the lecture topic: anthropological exploration of taste and taboos related to food.
Discussing why some foods are deemed delicious or acceptable while others are considered disgusting or bland.
Highlighting the complexity of food preferences across different cultural contexts.
Introduction of case studies: "Do you eat dog?", "Do you eat pig?", and "Do you eat rue?" to delve into specific cultural taboos related to food.

Importance of categorization in food perceptions within cultural contexts.
Example: Food pyramid as a method of classifying foods into categories.
- Reflects cultural understanding of healthy vs. unhealthy foods.
- Changes over time: Example of low-fat foods transitioning from 'good' to 'bad' due to added sugars to mask fat reduction.
- Food pyramids are relatively recent: Emerged in late 1970s in the US and adopted in Australia in 1980.
- Michelle Obama’s introduction of the food plate in 2011 phased out the traditional food pyramid in the US.
Conclusion: All cultures engage in food classification, which is neither static nor universal.

Introduction to anthropological perspectives regarding food taboos.
Presentation of first anthropological theory of taboo from Edmund Leach (mid-1960s).
- Definition of taboo: Derived from the Polynesian term "tabu," meaning set apart or forbidden; associated with sacredness.
- Leach’s argument: Taboos encompass behavioral, linguistic, social, and psychological aspects.
- Examples of linguistic taboos: Words related to body processes, sex acts that are socially restricted.

Leach’s key concepts regarding classification of food:
- Edible substances recognized as food; consumed regularly as part of a normal diet.
- Edible substances recognized as possible food but are tabooed or restricted to special conditions.
- Edible substances that remain unrecognized as food due to cultural and linguistic factors, referred to as unconsciously tabooed.

Leach's insight on how cultures view their food classifications as markers of superiority over others.
Secondary classification system arises from this view: normal vs. weird, civilized vs. primitive.
Example: 1904 World Fair in St. Louis exhibited Igorot people grilling dogs, reflecting societal perceptions of needing civilization.

Engagement with personal food classifications - disgust, desire, or curiosity.
Emphasis on observing one's responses to images or verbal suggestions about food.
Reinforcement of the importance of reflexivity in anthropology: the need for self-awareness in observations.

Raw Horse Meat (Yakko) as a Korean dish; comparison to other raw meat dishes (kibbeh, beef tartar).
Discussion on the taboos surrounding eating insects and their promotion as sustainable protein by the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization.
Cultural history influencing perceptions: insects as enemies to European settlers in Australia, leading to taboos.
- Contemporary rise of insect eating as a niche market in Australia linked to class distinctions.

Discussion of dishes considered unusual: animal penises and testicles as aphrodisiacs in cultures.
Contrast between familiar and unfamiliar presentations (e.g., pig trotters' appearance).
Stelagomyitis fungus discussed as both a taboo and delicacy; cultural evolution of perceptions.
Mention of cow brains as food, changing perceptions over generations.

Dietary trends and classification processes must be considered historically.
Changes in how foods are classified and perceived over time based on scientific understanding and cultural practice.
Reflection on individual vs. collective socialized tastes; how societal norms dictate food preferences.