Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part M (2025)

Food makes up our bodies, just as words make up our mind.” - Terry Eagleton
This paper explores the role of food imagery in Nitoo Das’s poem Consuming Home (Cyborg Proverbs), where food transcends its basic function of sustenance to symbolize cultural identity, memory, and belonging. Through vivid depictions of indigenous Assamese foods such as Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper), Bhedai Lota (Stink Vine), and Tengamora (Roselle Plant), Das constructs a sensory palette that deeply connects individuals to their cultural roots. In doing so, she illustrates how food not only nourishes the body but also sustains cultural traditions and fosters a strong sense of self-awareness. Drawing on Food Studies theory, particularly Roland Barthes's concept of food as “a system of communication,” this paper examines how Das’s food imagery functions as a vehicle for memory, identity, and cultural continuity. Furthermore, it highlights how her portrayal of Northeast India’s culinary heritage enriches Indian writing in English by expanding the cultural scope of the literary canon. Das’s use of food imagery plays a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage and contributing significantly to the ongoing discourse of Indian writing in English, particularly in relation to regional diversity and food as a medium of identity and memory.