Ellis Edwards Anthropology Reading Nov. 11th – 15th Pg. 572-588 In the article, Community Food Security “For Us, By Us”: The Nation of Islam and the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church, author Priscilla McCutcheon writes, “The nation of Islam (NOI) purchased over 1,556 acres of rural south Georgia farmland in 1994, naming it Muhammad Farms. Its expressed purpose is to feed the forty million black people in America. The NOI was founded by Master Farrad Muhammad and led for decades by Elijah Muhammad. Its most notable leader, Malcolm X, strongly believed in black landownership and its importance in achieving self-sufficiency. The purpose of this chapter is to delve into the relationship between food and racial identity and religion through the lens of these two Black Nationalist religions” (McCutcheon 2011: 572,573). “Muhammad Farms reveals that its leader’s goals are to “develop a sustainable agriculture system that would provide at least one meal per day for 40 million black people. This land would not only be used to feed people, but also to eventually develop a separate nation for blacks. Food grown on this land is distributed mainly to NOI mosque in major cities also to some black community members outside of the NOI located neat mosque in these cities” (McCutcheon 2011: 575). McCutcheon also writes, “The Pan African Orthodox Christian Church is a lesser-known organization founded in Detroit. Founded in 1956 by Rev. Albert Cleage while diligently working for racial equality in the city. An important aspect of Cleage’s explanation of Black Nationalism as a necessity is his discussion of power and group recognition. Cleage does not argue that whites are inherently evil. He instead argues that the actions of the white power structure derive from power itself. The PAOCC has recently expanded their philosophy, kimathi notes that “blackness alone is no longer as sufficient basis for unity” because we live in a world where class conflict and racism cannot be divorced from one another. Blackness is still key, but it is complex, and a host of other complexities must be recognized” (McCutcheon 2011: 575,576). Both the NOI and the PAOCC in distinct ways are getting at deeper questions of race and racial identity in their community food work. Social justice must be at the heart of community food work because the relations occurring in it are a microcosm of the relations occurring in society. Albert Cleage, the founder of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church, argues for black separation as one of the only avenues for blacks to achieve self-reliance” (McCutcheon 2011: 579,580). McCutcheon continues, “Their work around food and health reflects the desires of blacks. Both the NOI and the PAOCC are attempting to build community based on the common identifier of race and racial identity. According to both organizations, justice and stability can only be achieved through building a self-sustaining community” (McCutcheon 2011: 583,584). McCutcheon concludes, The PAOCC and the NOI tell us a great deal, not only about the activities of two black religious food programs, but also how black people in these programs are addressing race and building on racial identity through food” (McCutcheon 2011:585). This article also addresses minority issues. In my opinion, if any religion or group feels the need to separate themselves from mainstream society then that is what they should do based on the group or religions collective beliefs.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 23:27:23 +0000
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