Soup Joumou: The Freedom Soup


Soup Joumou: The Freedom Soup

A golden soup that tells a story of freedom.

Soup joumou is a golden soup made with squash called giraumon, vegetables, plantains, pasta, meat and spices.

Long ago, the people who grew the squash were not allowed to eat the soup. After freedom came in 1804, Haitians made it their own, and it became a symbol of freedom.

Families eat soup joumou on January 1, the first meal of the year. It is also a Sunday breakfast. Everyone helps: children help get the ingredients ready, and neighbors share the soup.

In 2021, UNESCO added soup joumou to its list of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.

Learning goals

  • Name the main ingredient of soup joumou
  • Learn how food can carry a story

Talk about it together

  • What is your family’s special food?
  • Who helps cook at your home?

Games to play

🍲 Soup Joumou Quiz

Sources

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