THUS
ONION
(DAS ONION)
Dedicated to Eric
Montalvo and the Workers at La Tasa de Oro Restaurant in Manhattan, Who Prepare
for me Daily an Onion Sandwich So I Can Start My Daily Search on the Internet
for Information on the Mighty Onion
Ancient
civilizations’ rise and fall have been the focus of research from Herodotus to
modern historians whose names are not yet known. During the last few months, I have been researching the
mysteries of ancient civilizations.
In the past few years, I have focused my attention on the historical
role of potatoes over the last 350 years, and I published an article on the
Internet that encapsulates my thoughts on potatoes. Now I am busy researching the role of onions in the history
of civilizations.
The
onion played a wide role in ancient Egyptian civilization. The pyramid-builders were paid for
their labor in onions and radishes.
The onion’s origin is believed to be from the Far East, close to
China. The ancient Chinese have
used onions for food and for medicine.
How the onion arrived in Egypt we do not know. We can assume it came via ancient traders through
Mesopotamia and its civilizations.
The ancient Greeks adopted onions for all sorts of ritualistic
festivities, including those relating to wars. The Romans brought the onion from the East and introduced it
into their diet, as well as into their cultural activities. The Russians adopted the onion as a
church symbol. In the United
States, the “Onion” has become a symbol (representation/emblem) of humor and
sometimes comic reporting.
In
one way or another, people all over the world have succumbed to the belief that
onions have in them real benefits, including properties that contribute to the
well functioning of the brain, and cancer-preventing agents. Thus, when Jews celebrate the coming
holiday of Passover, we have to recall the Biblical story of the Hebrews
leaving Egypt and wandering into the desert, or course missing the onions they
had been used to eating in Pharoanic Egypt. Nutritionally and otherwise, onions were ubiquitous in Egypt
to support the Hebrews’ physical and mental strength.
In
East Europe’s poor Jewish communities, onions have been consumed for more than
1000 years. These Jews were poor,
but they ate onions with every dish, and their minds evolved. Thus we cannot take lightly the onion
concept they came up with: “You should grow like an onion, with your head in
the ground and with your feet up.”
This philosophy represented sort of an early exercise for tranquility
and body health.
Dear Reader, if you have any
thoughts to share on the role onions have played in civilization over the past
5000 years, please write back and let me know. I would be grateful and pleased to acknowledge your input in
my upcoming article.
Thank you,
Eliyho Matz
eliyho_matz@yahoo.com
