Glocalization in Terms of Food and Identity

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Food and identity
Gastronomy is an ever-evolving subject, being molded by global and local influences to create something novel. Examples of this phenomenon include the emergence of crawfish in Cajun country and SPAM in the Philippines, demonstrating how food can both represent and shape culture. SPAM, according to Matejowsky, is a portmanteau derived from the words ‘spiced’ and ‘ham’ (Matejowsky, 369). This paper will consider the effects of glocalization on local culture and heritage, particularly in terms of commercialization and how local foods become symbols of identity. It will examine C. Paige Gutierrez's article “The Social and Symbolic Uses of Ethnic/Regional Foodways” and Matejowsky's “SPAM and Fast-food 'Glocalization' in the Philippines” to explore the ramifications of glocalization for local culture and heritage, with a particular focus on the shift in status certain food items experience.
To begin with, the fusion of global and local influences has led to the concept of glocalization, with food and identity in particular affected by this process. Hayes argues that this results in the incorporation of varying cuisines - from fast food to local specialties - to meet the dietary preferences of both local and international customers. Matejowsky investigates the re-envisioning of SPAM in the Philippines and its subsequent integration into the country's fast-food sector. He shows how SPAM, a US product, has become a staple of Filipino culture in the Asia-Pacific. His research highlights the emergence of SPAM as an intriguing culinary experience in the Philippines' burgeoning fast-food landscape (Matejowsky, 369). Gutierrez investigates the symbolic significance of crawfish within Cajun country and how the animal has become indigenized. Acculturated visitors may easily recognize the crawfish as a predominant symbol, among others that comprise the region's heritage. This is established in the ubiquity of crawfish iconography, often paired with verbal expressions that reflect ethnic pride such as "Cajun", "Acadian", "Cajun Country" or a T-shirt depicting "Cajun Power" with a fist holding a crayfish (Gutierrez 169). These examples illustrate how people from diverse backgrounds attempt to market their dishes to the world along with their cultural legacy.
As well, glocalization leads to the commercialization of local culture and heritage. This happens through the integration of global and local markets, the emergence of new transnational corporations, the mobilization of global cultural trends, and the increased emphasis on consumerism, branding, and marketing as a means to drive economic growth (Blatter). Matejowsky observes that SPAM is being sold as a souvenir in tourist stores in the Philippines. This reveals how SPAM has adapted to changing market conditions to become a commodity and cultural symbol to Filipinos. The commercialization of the cultural significance of SPAM in the tourist stores is a manifestation of the larger phenomenon of glocalization, while its export to other parts of the world affects how it is perceived and consumed in the Philippines, illustrating the influence of external forces ...