re: Gumbo terminology

So much fail in this thread, gumbo is derivative of west african culture, where they still make similar stews. Slaves were the first to cook the dish over here and leave the namesake "gumbo" for their word for okra.

Okra, file (sassafrass powder - choctaw "kombo" which i think holds much less value than the okra derivation), and a roux (french) are all thickening agents and a modern "gumbo" can be made from any and/or all.

Cajuns basically put all kind of random shite in a pot and cooked it and called it gumbo.

Call it what you will but as another poster stated, the original is from okra. I tell people "nice stew" if they dont use okra. Thats what Texans do, haha