For a New Year’s post, the topic of “Family Lore” brings to mind the tradition of eating black-eyed peas on the first day of the year. My pap-pa (maternal grandfather Hoyt Cook) always said that for every black-eyed pea you ate on New Year’s Day, you’d earn a dollar in the coming year. For a little kid growing up in the 1970s, a few bowls of peas would equal a small fortune.
I wish I knew more about how far back the tradition goes in our family. I’ve just been browsing through Google search results about eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, and it appears the idea dates back many centuries. Some articles say it’s a Jewish tradition. Other reports say it stems from the beliefs of Africans brought to the U.S. in bondage. Today, I look at the small amounts of African DNA in my profile and wonder if my black ancestors introduced the tradition into my bloodline.
Some families throw a dime into the pot; we never did that. Some serve with collard greens; my family tended towards turnip greens, and I tended to pass by that pot on the table. Hoppin’ John – black-eyed peas with rice – is said to be based on African recipes. Southern Living magazine (via the Atlanta Journal Constitution) says serving peas with cornbread or tomatoes is also supposed to bring good fortune.
The dawn of a new year is certainly a time for positivity, for hope, for planning ahead. It’s fun to think that eating special foods can bring luck and prosperity. During my childhood, New Year’s wasn’t always a day for family gatherings; we were often away from home with my dad’s military service. When we were in Pensacola, it was such fun to go to a grandparents’ home, play with the cousins, and eat lots of good food. Boy, I could pack it away back then and not have to worry about gaining weight!
Today, carrying on that tradition of eating black-eyed peas provides a connection with my past and my family, and it’s still exciting to think that each bite could be contributing to financial success. Hmmm. How many peas would I need to eat to win the lottery?!
I dropped the ball on the #52Ancestors project in 2023, but I’ll begin anew with a resolution to do better in 2024. Part of the issue in 2023 is that I feel I’ve written bunches about the relatives I know and the brick walls I’m working on. I will try to be more creative this year as I discuss more unknown ancestors on the tree.
Rhyme Schemes and Daydreams 