Mao and the Mango

15/10/2024 42 min

Listen "Mao and the Mango"

Episode Synopsis

What’s the link between China’s Cultural Revolution and mangoes from Pakistan? In this episode, we explore one case of how food was used as a propaganda tool. Britney takes us back to the late 1960s, when Mao Zedong launched a nationwide political movement to purge remnants of capitalism and imperialism. Amid the violence and upheaval, a gift of mangos from Pakistan’s foreign minister became a sometimes deadly symbol of Mao. This episode uncovers the surprising and dark role that the mango played in this violent era.Listener discretion is advised: The story is juicy like a mango, but certainly not sweet.If you like this episode, share it with your friends! Between episodes, follow our adventure on rootedeatspod.com, @rootedeatspod on Instagram, and Rooted Eats on Substack.