West African Origins of the July Southern Fish Fry Tradition

Fried fish and tomato gravy, recipe below

Pieter de Marees’ history of Guinea--originally published in 1602 is perhaps one of the earliest detailed travel accounts of pre-colonial Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, and Gabon. “In July coastal towns near lagoons celebrate the opening of the lagoon as the first rains swell them and wash sands bars that hold back the water and the fish from reaching their communities,” he De Marees. It’s during this time of the year that Villages near lagoons indulges in food and drink with “great gluttony and drunkenness.” The people here most likely would have feasted on fish has long as the rainy season prevented the growth of the sand bars. Perhaps the raining season inspired July feast in West Africa is the origin of the July fish fry tradition in the black belt regions of the south? Here is a recipe for Ghanaian fried fish and tomato gravy, something I imagine folks feasting on in July in a Gold coast town.

Fried fish and tomato gravy recipe: http://ghanarecipes.blogspot.com/2007/10/fried-fish-and-tomato-gravy.html