Asian Ethnology 83-2 | article Culinary Trends at Hindu Weddings that Contribute to Perceptions of Middle-Class Identities among Indian South Africans

Sheetal Bhoola, Dasarath Chetty, Simangele Cele

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Marriage ceremonies and celebrations globally are often celebrated with pomp, exuberance, and glamor. Hindu wedding ceremonies in the diaspora purposefully contribute to the sustenance of Hindu rituals and lifeways. The Hindu Indian community in Durban, South Africa has sought to uphold its marriage traditions and rituals, which have also been influenced by both local and Western cultural trends. Contemporary global and local influences are evident in the culinary consumption trends at Hindu weddings. Food consumption patterns and preferences have evolved to serve as identity markers of sociocultural patterns and social class positions amid middle-class Indians in Durban. This qualitative study based on twenty-five in-depth interviews reflects on the ways in which food is used to celebrate and represent Hindu traditions and beliefs at Indian South African Hindu weddings, how food reflects on status, how conditions have changed, and various reasons for such change. The study contributes to the lacunae in scholarly literature concerning critical appreciation of Hindu weddings in contemporary South Africa.