Barbecues in Oceania

For all those who thought that barbecuing was an essentially American pastime, and indeed tradition, here is some news. Barbecues are actually a time honored cooking method, as old perhaps, as the discovery of fire. Almost all cultures all over the world have retained part of this tradition and practice it in some manner to date.

In Oceania for instance, barbecuing is popular in the Australasian, Melanesian, Micronesian, and Polynesian islands. Every country has its own tradition but some of the most legendary customs are found in the South Pacific. In Hawaii, the islanders use the "imu" or the underground oven. Traditionally, hot volcanic rocks were placed in a hole large enough to bury a whole pig, and the hole was then lined with vegetation such as banana leaves. The pig was then placed inside the hole and covered with more banana leaves. The pit was then covered with burlap and soil, and left to steam all day, till it was ready to be served.

In New Zealand, the Maori have the "hangi" which is similar to the Hawaiian pit, except that baskets of food are left to be steamed in the pits. Experts believe that even the stones, used to heat the food in the pit, have been handed down for generations. The Maori are known to use herbs like rosemary or garlic to season the foods. Similarly, the Tahitians have their special barbecue, the "hima'a" and as far away as in the Marquesas Islands, they have the "umu". In a lot of island traditions, the meat is glazed with sauce and decorated with tropical fruits.

In Australia, barbecues are a common summer pastime. This is also because coin-operated or free public gas or electric barbecues are easily available in public parks. Mostly, meats are marinated with spices and then grilled. Interestingly, in Australia, the barbecue is a common fund raising event for schools and local communities. In these events, typically, sausages and onions are served on white bread with a fruit based barbecue sauce (mostly apple) or ketchup.

In New Zealand, as in Australia, the barbecue is a popular feature. The New Zealand barbecue incorporates elements of the American, British, Australian, and Pacific styles of barbecues.

With that information, and hopefully inspiration, perhaps you could vary your summer barbecue theme this year. With a little intrepidity, you could turn your backyard into an island paradise, made complete with typical Oceanic barbecue fare. What are we, after all, if not global citizens?