Food is more than energy and fuel to feed our bodies, but it is a way to represent different cultures, religions, and history throughout the globe. Latin America is shaped by its diverse indigenous cultures and historical impact of colonization, expressing deep values through its dishes, each having different stories behind them. For my project, I chose three dishes: Arepas, Rosca de Reyes, and Ceviche, each having significant impact to the region and the rest of the world.

For Latin America, Arepas are more than a food. They hold a cultural significance as a staple food that signifies national identity, family, and community. Arepas are key to family gatherings, daily life, and all sorts of celebrations. For the food itself, the many fillings, such as cheese, meat, avocado, beans, and corn found in it highlight the different cultural regions within these countries. The Arepa was influenced by migration in Latin America, spreading due to Venezuelan and Colombian migrants bringing their food to new countries. This migration caused arepas to spread through immigrant-run restaurants and food stalls.

Rosca de Reyes holds both religious and cultural importance in Latin America. It serves as a festive bread eaten on Three Kings Day, representing the crowns of the Three Wise Men, and the hidden figure of baby Jesus symbolizing his flight from King Herod. Culturally, it is a tradition for family and community gatherings, with the person who finds the hidden baby Jesus figuring being held responsible for hosting a tamale party (tamaliza) on Candlemas Day. The Rosca de Reyes tradition resulted from both trade and migration, with its origins in European bread making techniques being brought to Latin America through conquest and later immigration. Spanish and French settlers introduced their “king cakes,” which were adapted in Latin America into the Rosca de Reyes, incorporating local flavors and practices such as using candied fruits.

Ceviche is a culturally significant food in Latin America, symbolizing national pride, representing a combination of indigenous and external influences, and fosters community and tradition through its preparation and consumption. It is commonly shared at social gatherings and celebrations, with regional variations strengthening local identities. Ceviche’s preparation is linked to the local environment with variations reflecting the diverse geography of the coast, highlands, and jungle. Ceviche is the result of multiple migratory and cultural influences that have combined over time. While Peru is recognized as the birthplace of the dish, different versions of ceviche were created across Latin America as people and ingredients moved through the continent. Ceviche has prehistoric origins in coastal Peru, where fishing communities like Moche and the Inca created the earliest versions of the dish. The arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century changed ceviche by introducing key ingredients and culinary techniques. The most recent transformation of Peruvian ceviche came from Japanese immigrants (Nikkei) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As ceviche spread across the continent, it evolved into many different regional variations, each reflecting local tastes and ingredients.

The arepa is a pre-Colombian food originating in the region that is now Colombia and Venezuela that was consumed by indigenous groups like the Musicas and Cumanaotos for thousands of years. Its core ingredient, maize, was a geographically essential and abundant crop for the native people, who developed the techniques to grind the kernels into dough and cook the patties on clay griddles called budares. The simplicity and reliance on this crop made it a dietary cornerstone. More recently, mass migration, particularly from Venezuela due to its economic crisis, has influenced the food's modern spread, causing arepras to spread globally and introduced regional variations that combine traditional Venezuelan or Colombian preparations with local flavors in host countries across Latin America and the world.

Rosca de Reyes' origins trace back to medieval Spain and possibly even earlier Roman traditions like Saturnalia, but its presence in Latin America is a direct result of European colonization and migration. The Spanish conquistadors and settlers introduces the Catholic celebration of the Epiphany (Three Kings' Day) and its associated ritual of sharing the Rosca to the New World, particularly starting in countries like Mexico in the 16th century. The movement of the Spanish across the Atlantic Ocean, facilitating the widespread trade of traditions, ensured the custom took root in the new cultural soil. While the core ritual remains, regional migration and culinary influence have led to variations in dough flavor, fillings, and the consequences of finding the figurine. 

Ceviche's origins are traced back to the Moche civilization on the coast of Peru approximately 2,000 years ago, where early versions of the dish involved curing raw fish with acidic indigenous fruit juices like tumbo. The dish was critically transformed during the Spanish colonial period through trade, introducing limes and onions. These ingredients replaced the original acids and defined the modern flavor of the dish. The final refinement occurred when the Japanese migrated to Peru in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Their expertise in raw fish preparation led to the brief marination technique that preserves the fresh texture characteristic of Ceviche. Ceviche's existence is reliant on the geography of the Pacific coast for its abundant fresh seafood, while its evolution is an example of cultural blending driven by Spanish and Asian migration and trade across Latin America.

Arepas are a strong example dish of how both religion and language have shaped Latin American cultures and traditions. The majority of people from Latin American countries are Roman Catholic, and religious practices often influence how and when arepas are prepared. During Lent, a period where Catholics avoid eating meat on Fridays, arepas are often filled with cheese, eggs, fish, or beans instead of meat. They are also a part of family gatherings during major religious holidays like Christmas, symbolizing unity and gratitude. The origin of the word “arepa” comes from Indigenous Cumanagoto word erepa, meaning “corn,” which reflects the blending of Indigenous and Spanish influences that define a large portion of Latin America’s history. Over time, differences in language and regional culture have led to variations in recipes and styles. Venezuelans commonly make arepas rellenas (stuffed arepas) while Colombians often serve theirs plain or topped with cheese or butter. Overall, religion and language have helped shape the traditions, meanings, and regional differences that make arepas such an important cultural food. 

Arepas spread throughout Latin America due to people migrating from Venezuela and Colombia to other regions, bringing their traditional recipes with them. Originally made by Indigenous communities using ground corn, arepas became increasingly popular after Spanish colonization introduced new cooking techniques and tools. As Venezuelans and Colombians moved to countries like the United States, arepas began to mix with other dishes, inspiring modern fusion dishes like arepa sandwiches which combine Latin flavors with American style fillings like barbeque chicken or pulled work. This blending shows how migration and cultural exchange can turn a simple traditional food into a globally recognized dish while still keeping its cultural roots.