Haitians are people who eat clay: how they prepare edible mud cakes (5 photos)

There are many unique peoples on our planet with their own distinctive traditions and way of life. Some people chain their necks in iron rings, some build houses on the water, and some eat mud. Literally. For example, for a large number of Haitians, mud cakes are a staple of their diet.





And you might think that this is some part of local beliefs or cults, but this is not so. This is not a national dish or a delicacy. This is a consequence of absolute poverty, which pushes people to look for ways to survive by all possible means. Indeed, according to statistics, Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, which is not surprising: the state lives on tourism, agriculture and experiences a severe deficit in foreign trade.

In addition, poverty is rampant in the country, caused by severe unemployment: if you work in the fields, then you are lucky. But there are much fewer businesses than people. Moreover, the era of computerization has made its contribution: the work that was previously done by people began to be done by machines. And this is yet another job reduction, pushing the country’s population above the poverty line.



It's gotten to the point where Haitians can't spend more than $2 a day on themselves. And their monthly earnings are sometimes even less than $70: it is impossible to live on that kind of money, even eating “cheap pasta.” So the local residents began to produce cakes from clay: it fills the stomach, contains minerals - you can live. Well, or survive.

At the same time, for these cakes they take relatively pure clay, bought from the central plateau. Therefore, even such literal pasture food does not go to people for free - the “baker” will have to pay 5 cents for one cake.



What is included in such a dish? It's very simple: water, clay and salt. You can find more expensive options with beans or leftovers from the baker's dinner, but only a few can afford them, so they rarely appear on sale.

How are these flatbreads baked? In fact, it's simple. The clay is mixed with salt, water is added to it, and then it is simply spread on the ground, roof, or any surface on which the cakes will be prepared. Hygiene? People eat dirt anyway, so it’s out of the question.



After a day, when the cakes have dried in the sun, they can be eaten. Well, or sell. The taste, according to witnesses, is simply disgusting: something salty with the taste of, yes, dirt. But the locals are used to it. There are no alternatives.



And here we need to make a digression: flatbreads, as an exotic product, are also sold to tourists. But I don’t recommend eating them: they may contain parasites and pathogens. And it’s easy to “catch” indigestion with such food. Still, clay is not the most familiar product for us.