How did pisupo become a Pacific Island delicacy?
Sydney, AUSTRALIA — Corned beef, bully beef, pisupo or spam. Whichever name you know it by, this tin of processed meat needs no introduction in the Pacific.
It's held a cultural significance for decades – eaten and gifted at special occasions, from feasts, weddings to funerals.
And while it has become deeply and culturally embedded, it has taken a toll on Pacific Islanders health.
So, how did this imported meat become a stable and cultural stronghold in the first place? And are Pacific people ready to let it go?
Tradition or imported junk?
Food is a big deal in the Pacific, but the islands have became a dumping ground for cheap and unhealthy imports.
Canned foods were introduced to the Pacific Islands in the late 19th century, and World War One helped expand the reach of canned goods across the globe.
Pisupo is a Samoan interpretation of word pea soup [pea-soup-o]. It was one of the first canned foods introduced into the Pacific, and is now short-hand for food that comes in a can.
Canned corned beef is a processed food high in saturated fat, salt and cholesterol—a type of fat that clogs arteries.
Dr. Heena Akbar explains that these are all things that contribute to why diabetes and heart disease are more common in Pacific Island populations.
Pacific Island diets were once high in locally grown fruits and vegetables, seafood, coconut milk, they have given way to cheap, imported products.
Dr Akbar calls for a return to traditional foods as a solution to combat the health crisis for Pacific people, a move she describes as food sovereignty.
She references staples like fish, taro and vegetables. And taking preventative measures, she adds these actions are "also bringing back culture we've lost."