In addition to the cultural genocide and state violence in Xinjiang, China, there are also efforts to erase Uyghur identity through food. An article from ChinaFile by Timothy Grose explores how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is seeking to refashion Uyghur cultural expression by promoting a set of officially sanctioned 'Han' tastes and habits as the standard. The CCP considers Uyghur ethno-cultural diets as obstacles to ethnic unity and a gateway to extremism. To remold Uyghur culture, the CCP combines intensive human surveillance with paternalistic 'educational' efforts [d46b32b9].
The Women's Federation of Xinjiang holds workshops called 'household schools' to teach Uyghur women 'civilized' living and 'healthy' eating habits. Han law enforcement personnel stationed in Xinjiang are provided with Han-style restaurants, and vocational programs are established to train Uyghurs in 'Chinese' cuisine. The CCP devalues Uyghur food systems by introducing and encouraging the preparation of 'Chinese' dishes. Uyghur cuisine is only deemed acceptable if it has been appropriated and re-branded as generic 'Xinjiang' food. These efforts are part of the CCP's broader campaign to erase Uyghur identity and assimilate the Uyghur population into Han Chinese culture [d46b32b9].
The erasure of Uyghur identity through food is another aspect of the ongoing oppression and cultural assimilation in Xinjiang. It highlights the lengths to which the CCP is willing to go to suppress Uyghur culture and enforce its vision of ethnic unity. By erasing Uyghur food traditions and promoting Han Chinese cuisine as the norm, the CCP is further marginalizing and eroding Uyghur cultural expression [d46b32b9].
Furthermore, human rights groups have reported that China has renamed hundreds of Uyghur villages and towns in Xinjiang, removing religious and cultural references. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, China systematically changed the names of 630 Uighur villages in Xinjiang from those rich in meaning for Uighurs to names that reflect government propaganda. The name changes, which took place between 2017 and 2019, were part of Chinese government efforts to erase the cultural and religious expressions of Uighurs. The most common replacements for village names were Happiness, Unity, and Harmony. The changes removed references to Uighur history and cultural practices. The report includes examples such as Qutpidin Mazar village, which was renamed Rose Flower village, and Dutar village, which was renamed Red Flag village. The village name changes have had a deep effect on Uighur residents, causing difficulties in travel and a loss of connection to their heritage [5310ddea] [77ffdb6b].
The erasure of Uyghur village names is part of China's broader campaign to suppress Uyghur identity and assimilate the Uyghur population into Han Chinese culture. It is a deliberate effort to conflate Uyghur identity with terrorism and erase Uyghur culture. The practice of renaming locations was first done in Tibet and is part of the Chinese government's broader campaign to suppress human rights in Xinjiang. The Chinese government has been accused of committing crimes against humanity and genocide against Uyghurs [77ffdb6b].