Did Cave Kids Know What Dinner Was?

We bemoan the loss of a family mealtime (for many families), but I wanted to dig into history a little: did cave kids know what dinner was?From everything that we know about these early peoples, certainly gathering around a fire at the end of the day or at the conclusion of a hunt would indicate that eating together has long been a social experience among humans. Fast forward to about 2,000 years ago on the North American continent. Research shows that Pacific northwest coastal natives, for one example, probably had two communal meals a day: one early, after their morning work was done, and the second meal of the day at sundown, after the day's work had ceased. Here is a description:

"The men would sit down first, at the mat. Before coming to the table, they had to wash their hands and face, twice. Before coming to the table, they would take a long drink from the drinking bucket, and then they would sit down. (It was not considered good manners to drink at the table.) Once the men were served, the women would join them at the mat. The family talked to each other during meals. It was a social time, a time to relax a bit. They quite often invited people from outside their family to meals." From members.aol.com/Donnclass/NWIndianlife.html#Meals)

Another place we can get information is the Bible. In Genesis all members of a household were included in the designation of "family" and would have included concubines (live-in mistresses), servants, slaves, visitors, and prisoners of war if necessary. There was polygamy and that made the family unit even more complicated.

Then too, family could refer to the entire clan or tribe. So a household could literally encompass an entire nation. Members of a clan accepted a communal responsibility for other members, including assistance in time of need, protection, sharing work, loyalty.

However, as families became smaller, as they certainly were by New Testament times, people began to think more of "Mom, Dad and children" as family.

One main meal, but more of a "supper" was eaten at sundown during New Testament times, when the workers had come in from the field. It was the time of day for the feeding of the multitudes by Jesus, of the eating of the Passover, and of the partaking of the Lord's Supper. According to Jewish law, and for special reasons, the chief meal was at midday-"at the sixth hour," according to the historian Josephus (from George B. Eager,www.reference-guides.com/isbe/M/MEALS_MEAL-TIME/

And if you look around the world, all cultures and societies have rituals or celebrations involving food or feast days: weddings, funerals, birthdays, coronations. We will indeed have lost something very precious, very ancient, and a certain aspect of civilized behavior if we lose the art of having a decent meal together. Food gives us life.

Someone has pointed out that meals prepared and served to a group of people or a family take on a certain ritual: food is prepared, the table is set, people are called to the table, prayers or grace are said, the food is passed. Rituals like this bring people together with common, routine experiences that can be a calming balm after a busy day. Eating food together is a bonding experience, can ease tension, make conversation go easier, make strangers less self-conscious. Mealtime may be one of the oldest rituals known to humans.

It is still early in the New Year, a great time to start a new or renewed custom for your family: find time to eat together at meals, and make it as often as you can. If evening doesn't work for you, try breakfast, or weekend meals.

If you're interested, there is more information about:
The most important event of all time and
The most important Book of all time.

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Contributed by Melodie Davis from her weekly columnANOTHER WAY (http://www.thirdway.com/aw/).For information on using Another Way in a local newspaper, contact:ANOTHER WAY, 1251 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22801-2497; or call1-800-999-3534; fax at 540-434-5556; or email me at:Melodie@mennomedia.org