My host family said that meal times are important because it's the one time in their day that they get to be as a family and enjoy a delicious food. This tradition also reflects that families in La Maná like to spend time together as a family. Although it may be quiet at times because their mouths are filled with food, they enjoy the presence of one another.
I think that this tradition is very connected to their environment. In La Maná, there are many extended families living together. Usually the daughter and her family have a house very close to their mother's house and constantly visit each other. Sometimes all of the mother's children live with her along with the mother's grandchildren. Houses are built to be spacious enough for all of the children, but sometimes they end up sharing rooms with each other and sometimes even the mother. As most of the time the mother is the head of the house, she takes on the cooking with the oldest daughter to show her how to cook. The mother also demands help so there is a process of collaboration and respect that happens in a family. As the children grow older, they are expected to care for their parents and also continue spending time together.
