One of the most well-known Jamaican dishes is savory ackee and saltfish.
But what you may not know is the unacknowledged labor it took for Black women to introduce such a wildly popular dish to the culinary world.
Today, Jamaica claims ackee as its national fruit - but it originated in Africa, and ensured the survival of enslaved Africans who endured grueling labor on Caribbean sugar plantations.
Enslaved Black women would mix ackee with saltfish and homegrown root vegetables like cassava, yam, and taro. Cassava in particular gave them a special link to their siblings in South America.
Cassava is another popular Caribbean food indigenous to South America, similar to the yam Africans enjoyed back in their homelands.
Indigenous Caribbean people taught early enslaved Africans how to properly prepare cassava, according to Provisions: The Roots of Caribbean Cooking by Michelle and Suzanne Rousseau.
Now be clear, this wasn’t some random kitchen experiment. No, this was about community care and survival.
In addition to fulfilling their duties as kitchen cooks, servants, seamstresses, and/or field workers, Black women were charged with feeding entire enslaved populations on plantations.
African women and their descendants invented and perfected the delectable Carribean dishes that we all enjoy – a testament to Black women’s ingenuity, labor, and love.
All great Jamaican restaurants continue to honor this tradition – showing that staying true to one’s roots can be good business sense!