Comida a Mano

Created for Current LA: Food

Food is central to my Mexican heritage and I believe it tells a story of our roots and how we once lived. Besides language, food is an integral way to pass on culture. I ask, what is a utensil? For centuries and even in the present time, civilizations primarily eat with bread, pita, tortillas or other forms of grains made into a flat pancake to gather the food. Growing up, there was always a big stack of tortillas in the middle of the dinning table during meals. We would rarely see utensils on the table (only on the occasion of eating soup). This is the cultural norm for a lot of families yet still can be seen as strange in typical western-centric dining etiquette.The unspoken questions about class and being civilized come into play. In Comida a Mano I explore these views by interviewing my dad and cousin who owns and operates a tortilleria in La Paz, Baja California Sur.

Shot, Edited, Directed by Eva Aguila

Translation & Transcribed by Javier Lopez

Sound Mixing by Chris Candelaria

Color by Jerimiah Morey

Copyright 2019