Black eyed peas are found in Afro Caribbean, Southern United States “soul” food and West African cuisine.

Peas both black eyed and pigeon or gungo peas were according to some of the articles I have read on food served on slave ships, among the foods given to enslaved Africans.

In the English speaking Caribbean, pigeon or gungo peas are found in many ‘traditional ‘ dishes.

In Barbados black eyed peas are eaten with rice. The peas are boiled first and then the raw rice is added to the peas along with seasonings. The dish is done when the rice is finished. I am told that in the past, people ate a black eye peas cou cou or a blackeyed peas mash. I have never eaten or even seen it myself and it maybe one of the many dishes in our culture that have become extinct.
The Caribbean and New world is truly a melting pot and sometimes similar traditions come together and it is difficult to unravel origins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUlYCsEO2UY

Yes… Mexico has its Black African roots… but historically there has not been a significant cultural presence in the Central Highlands. The recent Mexican Genome project has confirmed this.. and has done a great job of tracking African genes in Mexico for example… you will find a good proportion of African genes in Uruapan, Michoacan and the coasts of Jalisco… and surprising to many even in Sinaloa.

However the highlands of Jalisco & the Bajio whether in Guanajuato or Queretaro… African genes have been notoriously absent.

What you WILL find in these areas is the proportion of “Spaniards” or “Criollos” who have Portugese last names and are likely of Crypto-Jewish ancestry is higher than in other parts of Mexico… and that is why I think Black Eye peas are more likely attributable to Portugese. Note, Black Eye Peas are interestingly sometimes referred to as Judias as well.

I think the Africa theory is off base in this region of Mexico. Both of my parents are from the highlands of Jalisco where Black Eye Peas are also consumed… but for various reasons.

The deeply rooted historical reason is that many “Spanish” families that settled the area in the 18th century are really Portugese from ancient Lusitania as well as Extremadura. You will find a proliferation of last names such as Reynoso & Fonseca etc., By the 18th century.. Black Eyed Peas would have very much been part of their culinary traditions in Iberia.

A more recent clue comes from my own family oral history. Prior to the Green Revolution in Mexico during the 1960′s… the typical Mexican rural family ate a much greater variety of beans… usually planting about 5 varieties of which Frijol Carita a Vulgaris which looks like Black Eyed Peas was a prominent bean in the area. However as Green Revolution farming took root the Mexican Pinto proved to be the highest yield / lowest cost bean and consumption became a little more monoculture.

Nonetheless.. most families still longingly idolize & occassional splurge for the special beans of the past… Flor de Mayo, Bayo, Pinquitos etc., As Mexican migrants from Jalisco first made their way to the Southeast U.S. in the 1980′s they encountered the Black Eye Pea, found that it was relatively cheap and started using it as Frijol Carita. Now with NAFTA, Mexico has been flooded with cheap, subsidized US beans and my guess is that the Black Eye Pea is considered a cheap substitute for Frijol Carita or in Guanajuato lingo.. Veronicas (on occassion also referred to as Judias)