A variety of insects are eaten in the Central African Republic. During the rainy season, termites called bobo swarm around termite mounds or, in urban areas, around electric lights. After an evening storm, children run to collect them by the basketful - often, tossing them in their mouths with shrieks of delight. Termites are eaten sun dried, roasted with salt, and spiced with hot pepper, or they may be boiled in stews or dumplings.
Kindagozo refers to green grasshoppers that arrive in the area in the dry season. Central Africans roast grasshoppers or simmer them in water after the insects' legs and wings have been removed.
Several species of caterpillar are also eaten throughout the country, for example the larvae of the Imbrasia. A large brown moth lays its eggs in sapelli trees. After the caterpillars are hatched, villagers collect and wash them. The caterpillars are then simmered with tomatoes, onions, and other ingredients according to a family's recipe. Some may be dried or smoked for preservation. They can also be kept for up to three months for later use.
Safe and Good for People
Although not all insects are edible, many are safe when harvested from areas free of pesticides and fertilizers and prepared properly. Of course, as a precaution, they should be avoided by those allergic to the insects' marine counterparts, shellfish, which are also arthropods. In contrast to most shellfish, which scavenge for decaying matter, most edible insects eat only clean leaves and consume plants that humans might otherwise be unable to digest.
Caterpillars have an amazing amount of nutrition concentrated in a deceptively small package. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, dried caterpillars contain more than double the protein of beef. Food experts are rediscovering insects as a source of nourishment in developing lands.
Depending on the species of caterpillar eaten, just 100 grams can provide a large part of the daily requirements of such important minerals as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, as well as many vitamins. Additionally, flour made from ground caterpillars can be mixed into a pulp to supplement the diet of undernourished children.
Besides their nutritional value, there are other benefits to entomophagy - the practice of eating insects. Using insects for food is environmentally friendly. Doing so requires little water and produces few greenhouse gas emissions. Added to that, collecting insects for food is a natural means of pest control.
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| Imbrasia obscura Picts in this entry all taken from "Some edible caterpillars of Bas-Congo" |
Insects may not appeal to all tastes, but they are served in well over a hundred countries, and in some countries, some insects are considered delicacies. And as one lady in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, put it as she prepared a meal for her guests, "Insects are an important source of protein for many in Central Africa, but we do not eat them because we have to; we eat them because they taste so good." Her meal had the enticing aroma of onions, garlic and spices ... and yet the makongo (caterpillars) were served uncooked.
In the Bible the law covenant given to the ancient nation of Israel declared locusts to be clean. Servants of God, such as John the Baptist, ate them - see Leviticus 11:22; Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6. However, people may still hesitate to eat what is culturally unacceptable to them in their culture - ah, good o' ethnocentrism! Nevertheless, in Central Africa large bowls of caterpillars can bring beaming smiles, and for the visitors, being served first and generously too is the way of showing one's heartfelt graciousness in welcoming the visitors ... and visitors should not disappoint ... or offend.
Info in this article is taken from "Awake!" June 2012 monthly publication.
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