Theories abound with various speculations ranging from the derivative of the French expression barbe a queue meaning 'from head to tail', to an extinct tribe in Guyana who barbarously spit-roasted their enemies. The most plausible version is that barbecue comes from the word barbacoa which is Spanish for the Taino Indian word referring to the wooden rack used to roast meat over an open flame. The Taino people, indigenous to the Caribbean and Florida, migrated throughout the Carolinas and are widely credited with the etymology of the word. Barbecues not only unite the community, but also transcend racial and economic ties within. People from every stratum would flock to these gatherings, as they still do today.
Food is often the catalyst for uniting diverse groups of people.
The barbecue process is tedious and time-consuming. Generally speaking, barbecuing requires an enclosed metal cooker, commonly known as the pit. However, even the electric pits need the addition of various soaked wood chips to create the smoke flavour that is essential for proper barbecue. Barbecue is serious business. Local residents are not only enthusiastic about the quantities of barbecue they consume but also fiercely opinionated as to the best barbecue in the universe.