Bridging cultural divides in a global city, one meal at a time

Eat, Share, Love is a compilation of 91 recipes from Bristolians spanning a variety of cuisines and cultures. Alongside the recipes are the stories, memories and reflections behind them. 

“The food we eat is not just the sum of it’s ingredients; it’s the moments of joy, the heritage and the cultures that come with it,” said compiler of the book Kalpna Woolf, speaking at the launch event.

 91 Ways was founded back in 2015 (which refers to the 91 languages spoken in the city). Woolf believes in the power of sharing food to bring language communities together in Bristol and find common ground. 

“The language of food is universal. Yes, there are divides in our city – class, geographical, cultural – but we believe food is the way to break down these barriers.” 

The first 91 Ways event was held in The Station in Broadmead and attended by nearly 200 people. “A Somali women’s group came to me and said how happy they were that people wanted to hear their stories, before this they told me they had felt invisible,” Woolf says.

The organisation’s work is focused on lower income areas of Bristol, from Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston to Filwood, Hartcliffe and Withywood. I ask if there has ever been any incidents of racism, but Kalpna maintains there has not been, that white working class people have sat shoulder-to-shoulder with a diverse range of communities, bonding over the food on the table.

“Food helps to debunk the stereotypes and prejudices some communities might have about others,” Woolf tells me. For example, there is an upcoming event jointly run by Jewish and Palestinian communities to host a shared meal. “I think food has a particular resonance with displaced people because it acts as a cultural touchstone.”

“It has been a bruisingly isolating time, so we can’t wait to get back into the community again.”

That’s the immediate priority, but the long-term vision is much more ambitious, says Woolf. “We want 91 ways to be a model for how to build global, harmonious cities across the UK – a model for the whole world even.”

Source: https://thebristolcable.org/2022/02/bridging-cultural-divides-in-a-global-city-one-meal-at-a-time/

#peoplepowered #goodnews #bristol