Soup Joumou is a traditional pumpkin soup that is eaten on January first because that is the day Haiti gained its independence. It’s a tradition that dates back hundreds of years. My mother learned to cook the soup from her mother who learned from her mother and the ones before her. When my mother moved to the U.S from Haiti in 1999, she only came with one suit case and recipes from her home. She would cook Haitian recipes all the time to remind her of home. When January first came around, she would always cook soup Joumou to remind her of her culture and keep the tradition going. I hope to one day learn to cook the soup recipe by heart just like my mother did.  

– Samantha A.

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant