The majority of African peoples who arrived in America were enslaved, therefore, the transmission of their culture was oral through elders who were custodians of communal knowledge.
The enslaved Africans brought during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries were between fifteen and twenty years old, so they were not effective carriers of their culture; additionally, in Africa, only women possessed culinary knowledge. The number of enslaved women brought to the New World was very limited.
In Venezuelan lands, the enslaved found yams, rice, and an abundance of plantains; from these elements, they developed their diet, introducing certain cooking methods and utensils.
At that time in Africa, porridge or polenta was the dominant food, made from mashed cereals or tubers. In the Barlovento region of Venezuela, cafunga is very popular, which is a direct derivative of fu-fu from West Africa. There was also a popular African dish made with coconut pulp, which was added to a syrup obtained from papelón, transforming into a delicious treat known in our country as coconut preserve.
Furthermore, they used rice by soaking it in milk, then preparing a drink called carato or chicha, which was flavored with almonds upon the suggestion of the Spanish master. To grind the grains, Africans introduced the pilón, which can still be found today in the eastern part of the country.
Gradually, domestic slaves replaced indigenous cooks, thereby introducing the culinary practices of the enslaved, making adjustments, changes, and innovations according to the tastes of their masters, which had already been mestizoed by indigenous cooks.
