Health, Wealth, Prosperity, & Happiness for 2024
In the Southern United States, where I grew up, there is a New Year’s tradition of eating black eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread on New Year’s Day. There are variations of this meal throughout the Southern States. There are New Year’s traditions throughout the world that help get the New Year off to a great start. Black eyed peas came to the South from West Africa.
Here is a link to the New Orleans School of Cooking for recipes:
https://neworleansschoolofcooking.com/blog/new-years-recipes
A list of recipes on Southern Living:
https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/new-years/new-years-traditions-black-eyed-peas
Prosperity and Wealth
The desire or wish at the heart of our tradition is prosperity and wealth for the coming year. The peas are said to represent coins. The collard greens represent paper money. The cornbread represents gold. The meal is hearty and supports health.
Behind The Illustrations
When I started thinking about the meal and tradition, I knew the food would be drawn as characters. When I researched pictures of the food, the collard green character immediately came into my head. The leaf of the collard green reminded me of a marching band leader’s hat or the leader of a second line parade. Second Line(wikipedia) parades are brass band parades in New Orleans, Louisiana, but can now be found throughout the South. With a second line theme for the food, I knew that I needed drums and brass band instruments.
I have lucky to go to New Orleans several times and see second lines in person. I’m originally from Memphis, Tennessee. We have a second line band, The Mighty Souls Brass Band, who are fantastic, if you are ever in Memphis.
Happiness
Happiness is not directly represented in the tradition of the meal. However, being with friends, family, and loved ones to start the new year is a happy beginning.
Wishing you all a prosperous New Year!
Happy New Year!!
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