Podcasts: Gary Nabhan - Environmental Perspectives: An Appreciation of Arid Lands Exhibit and Lecture Series "Arab / American: Landscape, Culture, and Cuisine in To Great Deserts" - March 5, 2008
Outline of Podcast
Additional Notes
- Sara Heitshu's welcome
- Sarah C. Heitshu, Social Science Librarian, welcomes the concluding lecture of the series. Sarah describes continuing and upcoming events and introduces Joe Wilder.
- Joe Wilder's introduction
- Joe Wilder, Director of the Southwest Center and Editor of the Journal of the Southwest, presents Gary Nabhan. Gary has written over 20 books and 100 articles. His main interest is the history and nature of the Southwest. He brings insight from his travels and applies them to the local desert regions.
- Gary Nabhan lecture, part one
- Gary relates the interconnectedness and commonalities of the cuisine of the Southwest and that of the Arab, Berber, Jewish and other Saharan cultures. Gary compares the flavors of the two desert regions. He delves into the history of how foods were introduced centuries ago explaining the influences of the Jews and Muslims during the 1492 conquest and how trade influenced both regions. Gary gives many wonderful examples of how the agriculture from both regions have influenced and intermingled throughout the ages.
- Questions and Answers, part one
- How strategic ingredients became interchangeable. Tracing the Spanish and Moroccan influence and then the Southwestern influence.
- Gary Nabhan lecture, part two
- Gary now discusses language and how many words have developed from Arab and Berber roots in Andalucía, into Mexican Spanish. The terms for cattle and horses are some of the examples of different terms that have been adapted from the Arab languages. Gary explains how foods from the Tohono O'odham tribes were introduced to Bedouin and berbers (lima beans and pumpkin).
- Questions and Answers, part two
- Where documentation of families and cities can be found. The meaning of the word "crypto" is explained.
