JIA is an investigative zine that uses the lens of food to uncover history, customs, and tradition behind the Hainanese culture to look into self-identity and celebrating food culture. Uncovering and exploring ‘unknown’ food to learn and introduce me and others to the Hainanese dialect through our “national past time”, eating.

Using food as a way to relate to younger audiences could help start a conversation with their family members and friends and is a way to start that interest, which could help in getting them wanting to learn and understand their cultural roots. This is also a way to let people know that certain food exists, to tell their stories, and hopefully preserve them before they disappear.