- Playing
- No Dessert
- From
- Carla Seidl
I created this piece shortly after my return from Togo, West Africa, where I had been serving as a Girls' Education and Empowerment volunteer with the Peace Corps. In Togo, there was very little variety in food choices, just mainly a staple starch food called pâte, made from corn flour and water, and served with some kind of sauce. In particular, I was struck by the lack of dessert in Togolese food culture. In other countries I'd lived in, such as Chile and Azerbaijan, there was no tradition of dessert either, but at least there were sweets -- they were just eaten at other times of day, rather than directly after the meal.
"No Dessert " (4:12) takes a humorous tone to tackle themes of guilt and greed within the subject of food and culture. The idea for this piece came to me as I was trying to make sense of the strikingly different food practices that awaited me upon my return to the US. With my experience living in third world countries, it is sometimes hard not to see the American tendency to overeat and have lots of sweets as unfair in some way when so many others eat just to sustain themselves. My intention was to investigate the topic of dessert and make people more aware of their own dessert culture and food choices.
The Togolese person I am interviewing is Catherine Talim, a librarian and my counterpart teacher and co-leader of my Girls' Club at the local middle school in Kanté.
More from Carla Seidl
Telling Our Own Stories: Wally Bowen on Creating a Democratic Media
(47:43)
From: Carla Seidl
Documentary on the life and work of media reform activist Wally Bowen, founder and executive director of the Mountain Area Information Network (MAIN) in Asheville, North Carolina.
The Yovo Song
(04:14)
From: Carla Seidl
When you visit the West African nation of Togo, you're likely to hear the "yovo song" -- a song chanted by many Togolese youth that goes: "White person, white person, good ...
Guitar Making: The Human Element
(09:45)
From: Carla Seidl
Human relations are important even in jobs where you wouldn’t expect them to be. Scott MacDonald may be an internationally renowned guitar builder, but as we learn in this ...
Cannibal Theme Park
(07:00)
From: Carla Seidl
Met any cannibals lately? Producer Carla Seidl has, and tells the tale in this engaging sound-rich documentary/personal narrative related to her anthropological memoir, The ...
Practicing Awareness
(06:37)
From: Carla Seidl
Students of the shakuhachi flute learn about music, listening, and presence in their daily lives.
Four Eggs
(03:05)
From: Carla Seidl
When invited to be a lunch guest in an Azerbaijani home, be prepared for cultural difference and great hospitality.
Gender in Azerbaijan
(21:47)
From: Carla Seidl
Local perspectives on gender and the rights and role of women in Azerbaijan
Audio Postcard from Azerbaijan
(04:25)
From: Carla Seidl
Sound collage from a small village in the north of Azerbaijan
Related Pieces
Piece Description
I created this piece shortly after my return from Togo, West Africa, where I had been serving as a Girls' Education and Empowerment volunteer with the Peace Corps. In Togo, there was very little variety in food choices, just mainly a staple starch food called pâte, made from corn flour and water, and served with some kind of sauce. In particular, I was struck by the lack of dessert in Togolese food culture. In other countries I'd lived in, such as Chile and Azerbaijan, there was no tradition of dessert either, but at least there were sweets -- they were just eaten at other times of day, rather than directly after the meal.
"No Dessert " (4:12) takes a humorous tone to tackle themes of guilt and greed within the subject of food and culture. The idea for this piece came to me as I was trying to make sense of the strikingly different food practices that awaited me upon my return to the US. With my experience living in third world countries, it is sometimes hard not to see the American tendency to overeat and have lots of sweets as unfair in some way when so many others eat just to sustain themselves. My intention was to investigate the topic of dessert and make people more aware of their own dessert culture and food choices.
The Togolese person I am interviewing is Catherine Talim, a librarian and my counterpart teacher and co-leader of my Girls' Club at the local middle school in Kanté.
Broadcast History
AARP's Prime Time Postscript, 6/19/12
Intro and Outro
INTRO:Did you know that there are people in the world who have never heard of dessert? Independent producer Carla Seidl spent two years as a girls' education and empowerment agent in Togo, West Africa. Her experience their inspired this cross-cultural story that contrasts American food traditions with those of West Africans.
OUTRO:Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Cream | Coalishun | Putumayo Presents: Caribbean Party. | Putumayo | 1997 | 00:29 |
| Ice Cream and Cake | Buckwheat Boyz | 00:06 |
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