Essay Sample on Religion In The Kitchen By Elizabeth Perez

Elizabeth Perez, the author of Religion in the Kitchen, focuses on the backstage efforts, made by women and sometimes me, to feed the gods of the Lucumí religion. The Lucumí religion consists of certain foods that must be made correctly to honor the Gods. Perez’s book talks about the importance of cooking in the kitchen has started to become a vital way of life in the Black Atlantic Religions. These religions keep their culture and traditions alive through the specific list of micropractices that they entail. Micropractices are the tiny exercises and activities that make up bigger tasks. They are important when it comes to human formation because it helps one acquire mastery to take on bigger tasks and perform better on important jobs. Perez goes on to describe micropractices as a “fundamental way to the preservation of social institutions” (9). Micropractices teach those introduced to the religion the importance of their religion and culture. By doing so, it can help keep the traditions and the places, that people may use to connect to their spiritual powers, alive.

Food preparation, especially in the Lucumí religion, is a topic that is taken seriously and is viewed as very crucial when it comes to connecting with their Orishas. Within the book, Perez explains the importance of micropractices by writing, “…micropractices hold the chief ingredients for the survival of Black Atlantic religions…” (11). Micropractices uphold Black Atlantic religions, such as Lucumí, because they help preserve the expertise that is found within the religions’ traditions. As micropractices are taught and mastered, they eventually teach those, who are new to the traditions of Lucumí, how to prepare certain foods for certain Orisha’s, sacrifices, and practices. The different Orishas in Lucumí prefer different foods. Knowing the background of each Orisha is a common micropractice that starts way before they even start to prepare a meal. Perez tells about her experience at one of the initiations in Chicago, Illinois. While she was there, she was confused about Ochún’s demands for a castrated he-goat instead of a she-goat. After asking around she received the explanation that when Ochún went to stay with Elegguá, there was no goat at his disposal, therefore he decided to castrate a male goat. The quick improvision that Ochún showed impressed Elegguá and it showed a glance of irreconcilable opposites (128). Knowing the story behind each type of food and ritual makes preparing food and fitting into the community of a new religion easier.

Micro practices can also be present in times of sacrificing animals to start preparation for meals. Animals that are sacrificed are believed to correlate to a certain orisha. Perez notes that elders were the ones who usually labeled four-legged animals to which Orisha belong (88). This small practice is only a fraction of what goes into making a sacrifice “successful” so that they can honor their Orishas most appropriately. Also, during sacrifices, blood from animals would be collected on the dried ground to represent the blood of an Orisha (88). This is another careful practice done so that it can help lead up to the big task of meal preparation for the Orishas. Although sacrificing in itself is only a step in the meal preparation routine, small micropractices, that are performed by elders and practitioners, are important in moving the process along.

When it comes time to actually cook and add all of the ingredients together, there are a lot of habits and exercises performed, by those associated with the Lucumí religion, to ensure that the Orishas are pleased. Pots are scrubbed to avoid the transfer of food particles that may be used for a previous Orisha (90). Taking caution and practicing the little things, becomes muscle memory and allows for the process of cooking to go smoothly. Another micropractice that is used in the kitchen when it comes time to cook is the cutting of the bird. Elders in the religion advocate for a single method that is used the same way every time. The bird is placed with its’ stomach facing up and it is taught to carve below its’ ribcage from one wing to the other (89). This routine is another small part of the overall cooking traditions of the Lucumí religion. Micropractices ensure that the traditional and cultural way of doing things in a certain religion is preserved.

The teachings of these micropractices build a bridge between those who have practiced Lucumí, and any other Black Atlantic religion, and those who just started. They help bring together a community full of curiosity, respect, and admiration for their religion and its’ traditions. Micropractices that are seen in the stages of food preparation in Lucumí are ways that help keep that religion and its’ rituals alive. By one taking on the crucial tasks of preparing the correct foods for each Orisha successfully, it returns with a feeling of security and respect for their religion.