NewStats: 3,265,557 , 8,187,211 topics. Date: Sunday, 15 June 2025 at 06:16 PM 2y512r

Brazil ........................................

Historical Origin of Garri
Cassava Introduction to Africa

Cassava is not native to Africa. It originated in South America (especially Brazil) and was brought to West Africa by Portuguese traders in the 16th century.

Due to its drought resistance, it became a staple crop in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Local Innovation in Processing

Indigenous communities in Nigeria and surrounding areas developed fermentation and drying techniques to make cassava safe to eat (as raw cassava contains toxic cyanogenic glycosides).

These methods led to the creation of garri, as well as other products like lafun, fufu, and tapioca.

Yoruba and Igbo Contributions

The Yoruba people (in southwestern Nigeria) are widely credited with refining the garri-making process: grating, fermenting, dewatering, sieving, and roasting.

The Igbo people (in southeastern Nigeria) also have a long tradition of garri production and consumption.

Who doesn't know it originated from Brazil?

Kestolove:
it originated from idah in Kogi start by the Igala people in the 1907

And your dad told u that part of history?

It may have originated from Delta state in the early 1900s

Nobody processes Garri reach Ika people in Delta state

Returnee slaves from brazil brought it to Lagos, badagry, ijebu axis

From cassava plant. Where else do you think garri came from?

Mariangeles:
Recently, my sister asked me what language is eba?
I thought about the question for some seconds and answered I think it's Yoruba language.
Then, she asked again what then is the Igbo name for eba?
I paused, gave it some thoughts, then answered utara. (You'd relate if you grew up in the southwest)
Then it occurred to me that in most part of Igbo land, garri is not that common.
In Igbo land, it is more common to hear utara akpu for pounded cassava meal, utara ji for pounded yam meal, and utara ede for pounded cocoyam meal, but there's almost no such term as utara garri .

So, it got me wondering....

Where did garri originate from?
What region created it first?
Who knows the history of this wonderful staple that has been saving the lives of Nigerians since time immemorial?
Who can trace its history?
I know of garri Ijebu
I also know that the people of Delta and Edo states are known for garri production.

In my hometown, garri frying is not common.
My people prefer to turn their cassava to akpu.
I also know the people of Enugu reserve most part of their cassava produce for abacha

So guys, let's connect this link...
Is garri a staple in your hometown?

its originated in South America, Brazil to be precised

One theory posits that it originated amongst the Ga people of the Gold Coast.

Another theory holds that it was from the northern parts of Nigeria.



Well... the whole thing also has a foreign and slavery twist to it.

First the Portuguese introduced cassava to West Africa from the eastern parts of South America as far back as the 1500s during the slave trade.

The West Africans didn't know what really to do with the crop until the emancipados(returnee ex-slaves) began to return to West Africa in the 19th century and began to introduce various means of processing the tubers to the West African peoples amongst whom they came to settle.

'Gari' might have resulted from such an exchange.

I pieced all these together from all what I have read all through the years.

The first paragraphs of this particular article seem to buttress my point. Don't get me wrong, I am not putting it forward as an authority of any sorts. It is just an article.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.eatdrinklagos.com/the-scoop/2019/12/24/a-short-history-of-a-nigerian-staple-garri-1&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjK8OnStKbwAhVOO-wKHbL3BlUQFnoECAUQAg&usg=AOvVaw38Oh6s-RDISvBjlk2Uzk5r

One thing is for sure though, the whole thing isn't really clear enough.

The Ga people of Ghana are actually Yoruba— it's a fact!

Garri originated from West Africa, particularly among the Yoruba people of Nigeria, although it is now widely consumed across many parts of West and Central Africa.

Origins:
Cassava, the root crop used to make garri, was originally brought to Africa from South America (especially Brazil) by the Portuguese in the 16th century.

Africans, particularly the Yoruba, Urhobo, Ijaw, and other southern Nigerian ethnic groups, developed indigenous techniques to process cassava into garri — a dried, fermented, and roasted granular food product.

Why garri became popular:
Cassava is hardy and grows well in Africa's climate.

Garri has a long shelf life when dry.

It is easy to prepare — it can be eaten dry with sugar and groundnut or soaked in cold water, or made into eba with hot water.

It provides energy (high in carbohydrates).

Today:
Garri is a dietary staple in:

Nigeria (largest producer of cassava in the world)

Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone.

So while cassava came from the Americas, garri as we know it is a West African innovation — a perfect example of how cultures can adapt foreign crops into something uniquely local.

Source: Chatgpt

Oyo, , Osun and Ogun State.
Garri is our food in these states. South West get am

Gaari is Originated from Ghana to Yoruba people simple .

Before one tribe that always claimed everything will start telling us how garri started from them here is how cassava come to africa

CodeTemplarr:
One thing is sure, ancient equipments couldnt have processed garri. It had to be modern equipments.

That's not true.
What is there in the processing of Garri that could not have been done by ancient equipments.
It might have been tedious,but certainly not beyond ancient processing methods.

ednut1:
Returnee slaves from brazil brought it to Lagos, badagry, ijebu axis

i tire for people in the hinterland saying so much about something that has to get to the coast before getting to the hinterland...garri is mostly a lagos , Yoruba,Egun hardly even eat garri they prefer Eko ,which other people call Agidi.. another foreign food and people from Oyo state will use a long stick to touch garri...it's a Lagos awori/ijebu name because thats where it came from hence it's popularity across the nation.

"Utara" is general word for swallow in igbo, just like the general for swallow in hausa is "tuwo". Akpu is the specific for cassava swallow.
The word garri may have come from edo or delta.

Every region is now claiming Garri because it's a lifesaver.

Mariangeles:
Recently, my sister asked me what language is eba?
I thought about the question for some seconds and answered I think it's Yoruba language.
Then, she asked again what then is the Igbo name for eba?
I paused, gave it some thoughts, then answered utara. (You'd relate if you grew up in the southwest)
Then it occurred to me that in most part of Igbo land, garri is not that common.
In Igbo land, it is more common to hear utara akpu for pounded cassava meal, utara ji for pounded yam meal, and utara ede for pounded cocoyam meal, but there's almost no such term as utara garri .

So, it got me wondering....

Where did garri originate from?
What region created it first?
Who knows the history of this wonderful staple that has been saving the lives of Nigerians since time immemorial?
Who can trace its history?
I know of garri Ijebu
I also know that the people of Delta and Edo states are known for garri production.

In my hometown, garri frying is not common.
My people prefer to turn their cassava to akpu.
I also know the people of Enugu reserve most part of their cassava produce for abacha

So guys, let's connect this link...
Is garri a staple in your hometown?

Garri belongs to the ijebus in West African Nigeria.

Igbo has the yellow version

Only this commentator got the answer and he go only 2 likes.

Garri is not native to Africa and our ancestors did not eat garri

Lantosed:
TOriginally native to South America, cassava was introduced to West Africa in the 16th century by Portuguese colonizers. Garri became popular in Nigeria in the 19th century after formerly enslaved people began to return from Portugal and introduced a method for processing cassava.20 Aug 2021

Garri is Yoruba name (I'm not saying it was originated from Yoruba land). It's actually Garrin before the name was modernized and letter n was removed and they started calling garri.

Yoruba gave the name….. and made it popular, and many words are given to things by the Yoruba region

Mariangeles:
Recently, my sister asked me what language is eba?
I thought about the question for some seconds and answered I think it's Yoruba language.
Then, she asked again what then is the Igbo name for eba?
I paused, gave it some thoughts, then answered utara. (You'd relate if you grew up in the southwest)
Then it occurred to me that in most part of Igbo land, garri is not that common.
In Igbo land, it is more common to hear utara akpu for pounded cassava meal, utara ji for pounded yam meal, and utara ede for pounded cocoyam meal, but there's almost no such term as utara garri .

So, it got me wondering....

Where did garri originate from?
What region created it first?
Who knows the history of this wonderful staple that has been saving the lives of Nigerians since time immemorial?
Who can trace its history?
I know of garri Ijebu
I also know that the people of Delta and Edo states are known for garri production.

In my hometown, garri frying is not common.
My people prefer to turn their cassava to akpu.
I also know the people of Enugu reserve most part of their cassava produce for abacha

So guys, let's connect this link...
Is garri a staple in your hometown?

Garri originate from south America Brazil

People believe that garri originates from Brazil.