The Four Aunties: Watermelon

by Matthew Raiford and Helen Rae Ladson

They came in the braids of Africans who were stripped, shackled, and placed head to foot in the belly of ships named White Lion, Monrovia, Clotilda, and Wanderer. Their voyages to the hinterlands from the west coast of Africa helped to create food ways that have evolved from survival food to delicacies that are coveted by even the richest of palates.

The P.O.W.R Aunts (peas, okra, watermelon, and rice) have been a source of sustenance since itsarrival upon the coastal shores of what is now known as the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor. In thisseries we will see the aunts as individuals and collectively.

Although watermelon’s origins are very similar to her sisters, her evolution story is one that has been heralded from pharaohs to 20 th century writers and she continues to satisfy all walks of life in between. Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus) is a member of the Cucuritaceae plant family which contains a variety of recognizable garden plants like pumpkin, cucumber, and musk melons.

With over 1,200 varieties these plants yield both male and female flowers making them monoecious; the edible part of the watermelon, known as the pepo, is a ripened ovary with a hard rind and watery flesh that although is consumed as a fruit is distinguished as a vegetable. The United States commercially produces more than $500 million worth of watermelon every year, with Georgia being the highest yielded.

Made up of about 92% water, watermelon is not only a great source of hydration, but also rich in Vitamin C and potassium. Physicians of antiquity like Hippocrates used watermelon as a diuretic and to cure small children from heat stroke. It has also been known to have been used for its lycopene which decreases the risk of cancer and high blood pressure in many consumers.

Watermelon is said to have derived from central Africa dating back about 5,000 years ago and was praised for its ability to store water and was once used as canteens. The watermelons of this time were said to not be as sweet as we enjoy it now and would remain edible for weeks or months if stored in a cool shaded area.

Known as Gurma (Egyptian) these melons were domesticated for the sole purpose of hydration to later become a treat of the aristocracy and were devoured during feasts, drought, and used as gifts to honor pharaohs. One can imagine watermelon’s acclaim by finding drawings of it on the walls of tombs of King Tut or by discovering that they were placed with the soldiers who were buried with him so that they could remain hydrated as they journeyed to the underworld.

Watermelon, or the cultivation of it, soon spread throughout the Great Continent through trade and bartering; finding its way to West Africa making relation to the egusi fruit and the Mediterranean where it was then developed into a dessert known as Gurum (Sudan) and began to expand as Far East as it is west.

This reach is so expansive that it is hard to determine between Indigenous First Peoples, European Colonists, or African descendants who brought the first seedlings for it has been documented as growing in Florida as early as 1576 and in Massachusetts in 1629.

No matter who may have brought the initial crop to the New World, one is aware of those who maintained and harvested the bounty of this delicacy. After the Civil War, former enslaved Africans began to grow and sell watermelons as a means of economic revenue that helped to create African American communities across the nation. This supply created much success for newly emancipated African descendants and became the symbol of freedom in sodality.

It was this success that led to the stigmatization of the African American farmers who were now competition to their former plantation owners. To belittle their competition, they actively participated in the propaganda of African descendants through song, cartoons, and “news” reports that suggested they were lazy because watermelons were the easiest crop to grow.

Watermelons came to be known as dirty and often referred to as childlike due to its sweet taste, however these negative connotations were not applied to African Americans until after emancipation. This blot on the African American escutcheon followed them well into the 20 th century. The ensuing stigma that developed around watermelon caused great harm to the cultivation of the food by the shunning of its consumption in public.

It was not until August Wilson’s 1987 Pulitzer Prize winning play, The Piano Lesson, that a reclamation of watermelon as an economic staple in the African American community by the successful triumph of his protagonist, Boy Willie, who was able to purchase his family’s ancestral land at the end of the production. Although a minor character in theater, the watermelon took the lead as a symbol of self-sufficiency and freedom as it once did for newly freed African descendants after the Civil War.

Mark Twain once wrote, “Watermelon is the chief of this world’s luxuries, king by the grace of God over all the fruits of the Earth. When one has tasted it, he knows what the angels eat.” This statement must have come after he was served this delicacy, hopefully sprinkled with salt, on a hot summer’s day after tricking someone into painting a white picket fence for his aunt. One may never know what brought Mr. Twain to this accurate conclusion, yet most who have tasted it would probably agree with his epiphany.

Watermelon has traveled through time and space to satisfy and quench the thirsts and sweet cravings of many - even in the face of stereotypes and shame. It has and continues to be a source of hydration in countries where water is scarce or highly polluted. It is at its best when it’s thumped and a “thunk” can be heard.

From the rind to rim and the sticky nectar in between, versatile and full of nourishment; she is watermelon - our Duchess of Delight.

Sidebar: growing watermelon at The Promised Land Farm

Uncle Bob is a self-proclaimed “farmer in training” but he’s got plenty of wisdom born through experience to share with those who are willing to learn. Bob spent his boyhood working in the fields alongside his mother and grandparents who were sharecroppers.

Eager to get away from farm work, he joined the Army and served for 21 years, including service during the Vietnam War. It was during his time stationed abroad in places like Vietnam, Korea and Germany that Bob began to appreciate farming for what it truly is - a means of putting food on the table.

With a different attitude toward farming, Uncle Bob bought the property that is now The Promised Land Farm when he retired in 1989. He convinced his brother Uncle Bill (William Johnson) to join him and together they have become known for growing collard greens and having an annual Collard Festival. They also grow watermelon and other seasonal crops throughout the year.

They serve their community by providing free produce to the elderly and to veterans in need as it’s available. They also offer the opportunity for members of the community to rent a row and use a portion of their land for growing gardens. The brothers are always willing to share their knowledge and experience about growing food with those who want to learn.

Uncle Bob encourages everyone to learn to know how to grow food so they’ll have the knowledge and skills to do so should they need it.