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Cross-Cultural Understandings of Festival Food-Related Activities for Older Women in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Eastern Kentucky, USA and Auckland, New Zealand

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Abstract

This cross-country, cross-cultural study explored the meaning of older women’s food-related activities for the annual festivals of Songkran (Thai New Year) in Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Christmas in Richmond, Kentucky, USA; and Auckland, New Zealand. A derived etic method was used. The community-dwelling participants were 33 Thai women, aged 60 and older, and 16 New Zealand and 23 eastern Kentucky women, aged 65 and older. This article focuses on the final cross-cultural analysis of the data. Emic, or within-country, findings are presented, followed by the derived etic, or cross-cultural, interpretations for two themes of meaning; older women’s ‘protecting what matters’ and ‘leading the way’. Applying derived etic methods helped reveal how, despite the highly different food-related practices, preparing and sharing celebratory foods at Songkran or Christmas held related meanings for older women in Thailand, Kentucky USA, and New Zealand.

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Acknowledgments

The Asia Foundation of New Zealand, AUT University, and the Endowed Chair in Occupational Therapy of Eastern Kentucky University are acknowledged for grants supporting the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand

    Valerie A. Wright-St Clair & Clare Hocking

  2. Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, USA

    Doris Pierce & Anne Shordike

  3. Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Wannipa Bunrayong, Phuanjai Rattakorn & Soisuda Vittayakorn

  4. Department of Occupational Science and Therapy, School of Rehabilitation and Occupation Studies, AUT University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand

    Valerie A. Wright-St Clair

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  1. Valerie A. Wright-St Clair
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  2. Doris Pierce
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  4. Phuanjai Rattakorn
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  5. Soisuda Vittayakorn
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  6. Anne Shordike
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  7. Clare Hocking
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Correspondence to Valerie A. Wright-St Clair.

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Wright-St Clair, V.A., Pierce, D., Bunrayong, W. et al. Cross-Cultural Understandings of Festival Food-Related Activities for Older Women in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Eastern Kentucky, USA and Auckland, New Zealand. J Cross Cult Gerontol 28, 103–119 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-013-9194-5

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