Difference between revisions of "Braai"
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While grilling or barbecuing meat is by no means only typical of, or limited to, Southern Africa, to "have a [[braai]]" is nevertheless an enormously popular and in some ways defining social custom in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Even among expatriates across the globe. | While grilling or barbecuing meat is by no means only typical of, or limited to, Southern Africa, to "have a [[braai]]" is nevertheless an enormously popular and in some ways defining social custom in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Even among expatriates across the globe. | ||
| − | The name and the prominent social role of it in the 20th century largely originated with the [[Afrikaans]] segment of the population, and is derived from the pragmatic custom of travelers, explorers, and hunters to roast meat on a fire and coals on hunting and other trips. It has since been adopted by almost all South Africans, from many ethnic backgrounds, over the past 50 years or so. | + | The name and the prominent social role of it in the 20th century largely originated with the [[Afrikaans]] segment of the population, and is derived from the pragmatic custom of travelers, explorers, and hunters to roast meat on a fire and coals on hunting and other trips. It has since been adopted by almost all South Africans, from many ethnic backgrounds, over the past 50 years or so. |
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| + | In this sense "having a braai" is thus a kind of social [[performance]] and many arcane rituals and conventions have arisen around the process - as well as an enormous range of commercial activity from recipe books, braai competitions to all kinds of ingenious equipment. | ||
== Noun and adjective== | == Noun and adjective== | ||
Revision as of 05:19, 2 April 2019
The word braai (pronounced "bry", rhyming with the word "dry") is an Afrikaans word, which may be used as either a noun or a verb.
Contents
Verb
To braai means to burn or to roast in a general sense.
Most often used to refer to the popular process of grilling, roasting or barbecuing meat (sometimes other foods) on the coals. The meat done in this fashion is referred to as braaivleis ("grilled meat").
While grilling or barbecuing meat is by no means only typical of, or limited to, Southern Africa, to "have a braai" is nevertheless an enormously popular and in some ways defining social custom in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Even among expatriates across the globe.
The name and the prominent social role of it in the 20th century largely originated with the Afrikaans segment of the population, and is derived from the pragmatic custom of travelers, explorers, and hunters to roast meat on a fire and coals on hunting and other trips. It has since been adopted by almost all South Africans, from many ethnic backgrounds, over the past 50 years or so.
In this sense "having a braai" is thus a kind of social performance and many arcane rituals and conventions have arisen around the process - as well as an enormous range of commercial activity from recipe books, braai competitions to all kinds of ingenious equipment.
Noun and adjective
"A braai" or "the braai" can either be a reference to the physical construction, or the portable implement, on which you braai the meat ( "he built a braai in the backyard", I bought a new "braai") or the whole event - inclusive of the apparatus and the processes involved in barbecuing meat (and other foods) over coals and consuming it with family, friends and/or colleagues ("I was invited to a braai", "they had a huge braai"). Adjectivally you would speak of things like braai tongs, braai wood, and so on.
Sources
http://www.braai.co.za/blog/generalbraai/what-is-a-braai/#.U4nl6cUaLhk
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