Date of Award
1-1-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in Southern Studies
First Advisor
Andy Harper
Second Advisor
Melanie Ho
Third Advisor
Shiraz Ahmed
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
This thesis examines how Guelel Kumba, a Senegalese Fulani griot, chef, and musician currently residing in Oxford, Mississippi, incorporates West African cuisine and music into his daily life in the South. This profile study asks: How does Kumba's performances and cooking translate Fulani heritage into Mississippi's blues and soul-food scenes? The research employed observation, secondary sources, purposeful semi-structured interviews, and a documentary.
Kumba views tradition as an arsenal, preserving its essential rhythms and flavors while reworking family recipes and tunes to suit local tastes. Customers can eat, listen, and interact their way into shared history at his food truck and shows. Additionally, by providing moments of shared understanding and comfort, these events heal the "broken memories" that divide African and African American histories.
The study reminds us that culture also travels through tongues and ears. By focusing on flavor and rhythm, Kumba broadens theories of hybridity and flexible identity. His cuisine and music remind us that culture spreads most powerfully when people eat, listen, and share at the same table.
Recommended Citation
Muvunyi, Peter, "Afrissippi" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3338.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/3338