Sacred food as offering
Encyclopedia
A very recent realm of anthropology
is the study of sacred food, which is one of the most important elements of many religions.
All religions have prescriptions about the correct preparation and cooking of food, besides the taboos about forbidden subjects (for instance, animals for hinduism
, pork for judaism
and islamism
, etc.). Many religions have special spellings for the food, which sacralize it and, therefore, who will eat it; but there are foods sacred by its inner nature.
In Brazilian candomblé
by example, fishes are sacred for their connection to Iemanjá, horns given the relation to Iansã
.
Consequently those foods are considered offerings. This takes place in other religions too.
Some examples:
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
is the study of sacred food, which is one of the most important elements of many religions.
All religions have prescriptions about the correct preparation and cooking of food, besides the taboos about forbidden subjects (for instance, animals for hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, pork for judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and islamism
Islamism
Islamism also , lit., "Political Islam" is set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system. Islamism is a controversial term, and definitions of it sometimes vary...
, etc.). Many religions have special spellings for the food, which sacralize it and, therefore, who will eat it; but there are foods sacred by its inner nature.
In Brazilian candomblé
Candomblé
Candomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practised chiefly in Brazil by the "povo de santo" . It originated in the cities of Salvador, the capital of Bahia and Cachoeira, at the time one of the main commercial crossroads for the distribution of products and slave trade to...
by example, fishes are sacred for their connection to Iemanjá, horns given the relation to Iansã
Iansan
Iansan is a spirit entity, or Orisha , of the Afro-Brazilian religious faith Candomblé. Iansan is the Orisha of the winds, hurricanes and tempests. She lives at the gate of the graveyard, and has dominion over the realm of the Dead...
.
Consequently those foods are considered offerings. This takes place in other religions too.
Some examples:
- coconut: Ganeshin Hinduism
- Oxalá in candomblé (see above)
- bread: representing the body of ChristBody of ChristIn Christian theology, the term Body of Christ has two separate connotations: it may refer to Jesus's statement about the Eucharist at the Last Supper that "This is my body" in , or the explicit usage of the term by the Apostle Paul in to refer to the Christian Church.Although in general usage the...
in CatholicismCatholicismCatholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole.... - the challahChallahChallah also khale ,, berches , barkis , bergis , chałka , vánočka , zopf and kitke , is a special braided bread eaten on...
in Judaism is symbol of divine presence in shabat - chestnut: Befana
- Coca leaf: for the Andean cultureAndean cultureAndean culture is a collective term used to refer to the indigenous cultures of the Andes mountains especially those that came under the influence of the Inca empire...
s - Leola's Maize Corn: Amerindian goddess of prosperity in cajunCajunCajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
of Louisiana.