During one week, Jews commemorate the flight of their people from Egypt (the Exodus). In Hebrew it is referred to as Pesach (which literally means ‘to pass over’ and which later became ‘the mouth speaks’). It is an oral handing-down of the memory of these events, given that the mouth is where words and food join together. The account of the Exodus opens the Passover meal and, likewise, the different types of food eaten each narrate the ordeal of the Israelites and their passage from slavery to freedom.

Alcoholic drinks are highly symbolic in many religions. Islam and Buddhism reject alcohol for its psychotropic properties. However, it features in rituals in other religions. The Fali people use beer in all their ceremonies, while wine plays a sacred role in Judaism.