Food and Ethnic identity in the Cham Refugee Community in Malaysia

Abstract:The Cham refugee community in Malaysia consists primarily of refugees from Cambodia and Vietnam. While they recognize each other as sharing a common ethnic background, divisions based on their country they came from serve as an obstacle to unity and solidarity. Food bridges the gap between these two groups. Dishes identified as Cham combine the culinary tradition of the two countries of origin and create a community of gustation. By consuming these foods and being a part of a community of gustation, the Cham articulate their ethnic identity and become a more coherent group.