Ritualia: a toolkit for multi-cultural food ritual observations, analysis and idea generation

Abstract

The present research delves into the social aspects of food, commensality, and food rituals. It investigates the interplay between embodied gestures, artifacts, and language in shaping food cultures. To do this, the study delves into the acculturation of dietary habits within two multicultural communities in the Netherlands, mixed households of Turkish-Dutch and Dutch-Surinamese individuals.

Recent years have seen a shift in food studies towards recognizing food as a cultural practice embedded in embodied experiences, social interactions, and language usage. This exploration extends to food rituals, reflecting and reproducing social norms and values, while language in the culinary world serves as a dynamic space for intercultural communication and identity negotiation. The complexity of multicultural contexts poses a challenge for designers aiming to develop inclusive solutions that resonate with diverse cultural perspectives. Context mapping techniques have emerged to address this, offering designers insights into users' contexts, including their cultural and linguistic dimensions. However, ethical considerations and the need for a robust framework for ritual observations demand reliable tools.

To this end, the Ritualia toolkit was developed. It provides a systematic approach to observing and analyzing rituals, guiding designers in understanding the material world with artifacts, habitual actions and gestures, roles played by diners, and the language they use in food contexts. This toolkit equips designers and practitioners with the means to navigate the intricacies of diverse cultural settings, fostering culturally sensitive design solutions.
By relying on solid anthropological and cultural frameworks, these toolkit contributes to bridging the disciplines of interest for gaining a deeper understanding of cultural practices and values. Applying an interdisciplinary approach allows designers to engage with diverse cultural contexts, crafting concepts contextually tailored.

As food studies progress, this study contributes to a deeper comprehension of the complex interplay among food, culture, and societal dynamics in the modern world, hoping to spark new research and design initiatives that dive deeper into this aspect of human existence.