Hummus, a contested history

Image credit: By Beyrouthhh at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29254279

Hummus is a savoury chickpea paste that has been eaten for centuries in the Levant, perhaps originating in Syria or Lebanon.

Like felafel, hummus has a history spanning many centuries. Kitab Wasf al-Atima al-Mutada, a 13th century Egyptian cookbook includes instructions for preparing “hummus b’tahini,” (chickpeas with tahini), but uses vinegar instead of lemon, and does not include tahini. An 18th century recipe from Damascus that includes tahini, garlic, and lemon seems closer to the modern dish.

The history of hummus has been highly contested, with some Israeli manufactures rebranding hummus as a traditional Israeli dish, a claim that led to the Hummus Wars of 2008 and 2009. In May 2008, Hummus Tzabar, an Israeli manufacturer, produced an 881 pound serving of hummus. However, in October 2009, Lebanon surpassed  Israel’s attempt, preparing a 4,500lb dish of hummus that qualified for an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. [Footnote: Some Israelis claim the Biblical use of the word “hometz” to refer to hummus, however, the direct translation is “vinegar.”]. Noah Robinson points out that following the Nakba, Israeli colonists sought to establish a sense of nativism by adopting local foods such as hummus, felafel and maftoul, while suppressing the role of Palestinians in the development of these dishes. As journalist Joseph Massad points out “Israelis stole the Palestinian dish and marketed it as their own, just as they did with the Palestinian homeland.”

The Israeli company Sabra sells hummus in New Zealand supermarkets under the brand Obela. As well as appropriating indigenous Middle Eastern food, Sabra is co-owned by the Strauss Group, an Israeli multinational food and beverage corporation. The Strauss group has a history of funding and supporting the Israel Defence Forces, including the elite Golani and Givati Brigades, which are notorious for committing war rimes in Lebanon and Occupied Palestine – sending care packages to soldiers.

The international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign has called for all New Zealanders to boycott Obela hummus. It is certainly preferable to make your hummus at home, or purchase a different brand.

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Links and references

​Here’s why Palestinians object to the term ‘Israeli food’: It erases us from history - The Washington Post
Israel-Palestine: How food became a target of colonial conquest | Middle East Eye
Boycott Campaign: Sabra - CJPME - English
Who owns hummus? | Rachel Shabi | The Guardian
Hummus and The Hummus Wars: A Delicious Story of Controversy
The Hummus Wars on JSTOR
Human rights and hummus: The fight over Obela in New Zealand is just getting started | The Spinoff