This article is 6 years old

Global Cultures Redefine Thanksgiving

Features

Illustration by Siena Laws

The table is full with warm, sweet pumpkin pie, juicy turkey, and mashed potatoes with gravy, but also on the table are delicious samosas, spicy biryani, and scrumptious tamales, all foods Berkeley High (BHS) students will enjoy this Thanksgiving. At BHS, many students from cultures around the world will celebrate Thanksgiving by combining traditional Thanksgiving staples with foods unique to their culture. There are many ways to celebrate Thanksgiving, and at BHS the diversity of the student body shows how cultures all celebrate the holiday differently.

  Neelam Khan is from Pakistan; she moved to the US two years ago, and this year is her first time celebrating Thanksgiving. To Khan, Thanksgiving means spending time with family because, on the day of Thanksgiving, everyone is off from work, which gives her family a time to eat together and spend time together. Her family is looking forward to cooking turkey and adding some foods like biryani and samosas. Biryani is spicy rice with chicken and samosas look like a triangle and are stuffed with mashed potatoes.

Brenda Saucedo is from United States, but her parents are from Mexico City. Saucedo said, “Thanksgiving means unity with family.” During Thanksgiving, her family cooks Mexican food, like tamales and mole, and they eat fruits for dessert.

Audrey Washington and her parents are from United States. On Thanksgiving Day they cook turkey, mash potatoes, stuffing, and brussel sprouts. For dessert they eat pumpkin pie.

Emily Hou is from Taiwan. She moved to the United States four years ago. Hou only began celebrating Thanksgiving once she moved to the US. “Thanksgiving means [the] family assembles,” said Hou. 

Thanksgiving means getting together with family and friends over delicious food. This Thanksgiving, try cooking new foods from different cultures, like biryani, tamales, or samosas. Most of all, be thankful and have a great Thanksgiving!