The “Golden Root” has taken on many different names over the course of its existence: “haldi,” “yellow root,” and “turmeric,” its most well-known moniker. Its varying nomenclature is a product of its historic travel from South India to Africa, China, Europe, and the Americas. During the Middle Ages, trade routes opened up between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, allowing for an exchange of a multitude of commodities and cultural elements. Beginning in the early seventh century, turmeric was being transported eastward, to China and other civilizations in India. By the eighteenth century, the root began to move westward, being traded across the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea to Yemen and Africa (Sortun).
However, the spice trade was not the only movement responsible for the international presence of spice that we see today: namely, immigration also played its part. In the early nineteenth century, shortly after the Slavery Abolition Act was passed by the British Empire, an influx of Indian laborers were sent by the Indian government to replace the loss of free labor on the plantations of North America (Chowdhury). In the process, they also brought parts of their heritage and culinary culture with them. This immigration is also believed to be a leading cause in the spreading of turmeric to the part of the world that my parents call home: the Caribbean.
As a born and raised Dominican, my mother was never hesitant to share her love for the spice with me, its orange color and rich flavor present in every seasoning she makes. Turmeric is the primary ingredient in chicken and goat curry, two common dishes in the Caribbean islands of Guyana, Trinidad, and Jamaica (Chowdhury). Relocating to my mother’s homeland of Dominica, it is also often used as a way to season one’s rice. Paired with carrots and peppers, this turmeric rice is the perfect side dish to a larger meal. Alone, turmeric powder itself is quite bitter, but when paired with different meats, its flavor profile transforms into a warm taste that is neither sweet nor spicy, but earthy. Throughout my life, I’ve begun to notice that many do not share my family’s love; the spice’s prominent orange residue and pungent smell was — and still is — enough for others to call the people who eat it derogatory names, to shun the spice itself without a second thought.
However, beneath its strong scent and vibrant, finger-staining orange, is a spice that is also prevalent in the medicinal and culinary world of many minority communities. In various traditional medicine practices, turmeric is believed to “strengthen the overall energy of the body, improve digestion, and relieve arthritis.” It is also known for its antibacterial properties, more specifically used as “an antiseptic for cuts, burns, and bruises” (Prasad and Aggarwal). I can’t remember the last time my mother didn’t attempt to use turmeric to prevent me from getting sick when she saw me cough or if someone was caught sneezing in my general direction. As soon as she had the chance, she would boil onion skin, an orange peel, garlic, clove, and a spoonful of turmeric root and make me inhale the fumes from the boiling pot for at least ten minutes.
This will cure any sickness that comes your way, she would say. And I believed her — still do, to this day.
It is not barbaric to enjoy the full extent of what turmeric offers. It is not backward to dig in, eat curry with your hands, and let the turmeric bless your fingers with its color and your mouth with its flavor. It is a beautiful spice that has adapted with people and cultures, traversing across the globe and taking root in the heritage of many families, including mine. Truthfully, I am proud to call it the spice of my life.
Sources
Prasad, S., & Aggarwal, B. B. (n.d.). Turmeric, the golden spice - herbal medicine - NCBI bookshelf. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92752/
Chowdhury, A. (2021, December 20). Turmeric in the Caribbean : ArcGIS StoryMaps. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/75cbc654ed164b8ab3dfbe2fda5fbb3a
Sortun, Ana. Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean. New York: Regan Books, 2006.
About Leilani Glace
Leilani Glace is a member of the class of `25 at Phillips Academy.
