In Ghana, food is enjoyed from a singular bowl that people gather around and eat out of together. Food is also primarily eaten with your hands. Food is not only necessary, but it is a symbol of community.
In Ghana there is a saying "you cannot be mad at family when eating". This is because while sharing food, everyone is looking out for one another and making sure everyone gets enough to eat. Sharing brings a sense of comradary, friendship and family especially when what you are sharing is vital to life. Food is also less centered around diversity and more focused on quantity. It is important to have large quantities when sharing with all of your family and friends.
I live in a farming community where every household has a small farm on the edge of the area. Because I live in a very hot and dry climate, only a few crops are able to grow. These crops are the staple of every meal made by my community. One of the most successful crops is corn. We also have a small corn mill that can process this corn to make corn flour! Corn flour is then used to make many different "swallow" foods. Swallow foods in Ghana are the primary part of most meals. They are called "swallow" foods because you are not supposed to chew them, you dip these foods in a soup or sauce and are just supposed to swallow the bite whole.
