Food as metaphor in the oral history of the descendants of the inhabitants of Shackleford Banks

This thesis will identify the aspects of the oral history of the descendants of the inhabitants of Shackleford Banks, North Carolina, regarding recurring foodstuffs motifs and their metaphorical implications in this oral history. As very little American research has been done in the area of folk foods, the paper will endeavor to identify national, regional and local folk foods and their origins, symbolism, and relevancy to the origins and symbolism of the folk foods of the Shackleford Banks area. Balancing traditional research with original field work, the paper will demonstrate that the types of foods eaten in the area as well as their methods of preparation are metaphors for the culture itself. This area has until recently been geographically isolated, and, though readily accessible today, it remains still a homogenous and largely closed-to-outsiders society, making it an ideal topic for such research.