Jiternice and Kolache: Food and Identity in Wilson, Kansas

This work examines the use of Czech food in the performance of identity in a rural Kansas community. The citizens of Wilson, Kansas face many of the same problems as other isolated rural communities; including a shrinking population, a lack of business and employment opportunities, and few community services. Wilson puts its face forward to the world through the annual post-harvest Czech festival, a festival that draws hundreds of outsiders to the community and allows the community to be the center of regional attention for one weekend a year. This text explores the way in which Czech identity - primarily through food and celebration - provide a mechanism for community pride and engagement.