Food is a silver lining in El Salvador—a tiny country nestled in between Honduras and Guatemala on the Pacific coast of Central America. Throughout its violent past and today’s widespread gang-violence, food has always been one of the country’s most positive aspects.
Since the civil war came to an end in 1992, hundreds of thousands of Salvadorians have fled the country in search of safety and better opportunities. While most of them find refuge in the United States, today many Salvadorans are also migrating to Europe as a result of President Trump’s harsh immigration policies.
This story is about how “Pupusas"—a type of flatbread made with corn and usually stuffed with cheese, beans and pork, and the country’s beloved national dish, helps Salvadoran migrants in Europe, find a sense of belonging and communion.
This story was produced and presented by Priyanka Shankar and edited by Priyanka Shankar and Toon Vos at KANO: a creative space for coworking and culture in Brussels.
Special thanks to Belgo-Salvadoran journalist Melissa Vida for enlightening us about Salvadoran food culture. Pupusas do sound delicious.
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The music used in the audio is Utopïa by La Flor del Otro licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0-US. It is for non-commercial purposes only.
