Culture and Rituals of Eating

Culture and Rituals of Eating

University of Minnesota anthropology department head William Beeman explains how eating together is a universal tradition around the globe and is used to bring people together. The customs that surround eating are part of a universal pattern of rituals that shape the human habit of eating together, because communal dining is more than just eating; it's an event full of transitions, both material and symbolic. And while table manners around the world might be different from one another, they all share the common bond of making the process of eating more focused on rituals and the gathering of people.