The taste of turbulence: Memory and everyday resistance in Kashmiri foodways

This student report explores the tripartite violence—symbolic, visible and slow—which plays out across state control, ecological neglect and cultural erasure, reshaping the foodways of Jammu and Kashmir. At the same time, the Valley’s food systems remain deeply relational and resilient, held together by interdependence, ritual and care. As Kashmiris navigate the layered crises of militarisation, climate change, unemployment and displacement, foodways offer a lens into suffering and survival. Based on 30 days of ethnographic fieldwork in June 2024 across farms, kitchens, markets and meadows, the research draws on the memories of farmers, bakers, fisherfolk, butchers, chefs and home chefs. From the silence that falls when a siren sounds mid-interview, to the warmth of neighbours sharing meat in winter, food emerges as both witness and anchor. By centring voices on the ground, this work invites readers to think beyond the headlines, asking what it means to eat, remember and endure in a place where nourishment itself has become political.