Migration has caused the traditions, customs, and cultures of societies to undergo various changes. These changes have led to the transformation of culinary culture, which is one of the most important elements of a society’s cultural structure.
Internal migration, defined as moving from one settlement to another, stems from reasons such as the lack of support for agriculture, the architectural development of agricultural lands, individuals’ desire to live in regions where trade and industry are developed, local tourism, and the abundance of educational and job opportunities in major cities. Sometimes, internal migration, which arises out of necessity, leads to cultural changes.
When examining the data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the Eastern Black Sea Region stands out as a region experiencing significant internal migration. According to the data, a high rate of migration occurred from Trabzon to Istanbul.
After migration, people became acquainted with the culinary culture of the society they moved to and were influenced by it. Although some individuals adapted to different cultures, those who wanted to continue their own culture faced difficulties in preserving their culinary traditions.
In the study “The Impact of the Migration Factor on Culinary Culture: The Case of Trabzon,” jointly conducted by Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Akif Şen from Giresun University and Asst. Prof. Zeynep Bakkaloğlu from Haliç University, it was determined that internal migrants who wanted to preserve Trabzon’s culinary culture faced challenges in finding food ingredients specific to their region when cooking their traditional dishes. Additionally, the change in alternative food ingredients and cooking methods led to differences in taste.
It is important for migrant communities to preserve their culinary culture
The main ingredients of Trabzon cuisine include kale, corn, tea, hazelnuts, animal products such as meat and dairy, and seafood. Migrants who want to preserve their culinary culture face difficulties in finding the food ingredients specific to their region and kitchen tools like the kudal (hand mixer) when cooking. It was also determined that changes in alternative food ingredients, tools, and cooking methods caused differences in taste.
People who have difficulty accessing local food ingredients while cooking try to capture the traditional flavor with ingredients bought from the market. For instance, while making kuymak, one of Trabzon’s traditional dishes, they use kashar cheese as an alternative to kuymak cheese (kolot) when they cannot find it, leading to a loss of the original flavor. Because they cannot achieve the same taste in their dishes, people order local food ingredients from their hometowns or obtain them during visits.
The primary challenges faced by individuals who migrated from Trabzon to Istanbul in preserving and maintaining their culinary culture include the difficulty of accessing raw materials, changes in cooking techniques, and kitchens not being suitable for traditional cooking methods. At this point, obtaining raw materials and using traditional cooking methods are crucial for preserving culinary culture. Additionally, organizing regional days and festivals, offering cooking courses by municipal governments, and promoting such activities are among the efforts that help sustain culinary culture.
Reporters: Merve Dilmeç and Gökçe Baydar
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