Foodlore untuk Para Perantau (to The Wanderers)

Graciella Rosary

See it On Campus: Level 2

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About Foodlore

Foodlore is a publication inspired by the blend of cultures that exist in Vancouver. Consisting of seven personal stories from different perspectives told over heartwarming meals, Foodlore fuses the interlacing connection between food, home and cultural experiences. This publication hopes to inspire compassion and understanding that shape a community filled with respect and appreciation for diversity.

Behind Foodlore…

Throughout my years living in Vancouver, I witnessed first hand the contrast between a homogenous community I used to live in and the diversity that is so pertinent in this city. I was brought to reflect on the blend of traditions that knitted this web of cultural tapestry.

Foodlore came to be when I started gaining a deeper appreciation of the foods my mom cooks at home. The little experiences I get to enjoy of eating foods from my home country, Indonesia, in Canada.

I realized that to a lot of us, food becomes the simplest form of solution to homesickness and cultural connection. Food follows us wherever we go. More often than not, food brings up comfort and fond memories to those living within a multicultural community. A place where cultures blend and sometimes get lost in the diversity. In the midst of it all, food carries emotions, memories, identity and culture.

That’s when the idea hits me.

The point of this whole project is to get personal and up-close to the stories and experiences that live within people. The solution? Simple, really. A heartwarming conversation over a comforting meal.

And so, I asked seven people to take me to a restaurant that in their personal opinion serves the “best” food from their respective cultural background, which then I later named ‘Food & Convo’ – a fresh approach to the traditional interview method.

After conducting seven Food & Convo’s, I then spent the next three months carefully constructing the outcomes of this project.

The Publication

Flip Through

This 118 page publication became the primary focus of Foodlore. It’s divided into seven chapters – indicated by seven different colours, each highlighting a personal story that emerged from the seven people I talked to

The process of embracing all these stories was challenging. These are not my stories, nor my experiences and I was afraid that I wasn’t going to be able to give each of them the light that they deserve. I had to get over the fear of integrating my own voice within these narratives. It was important that I welcome the diversity of perspectives that play a significant role in this project, including my own.

The Postcards

I needed a way to bring the restaurants I visited into the light. They’re an integral part of this whole experience, a clear display of cultural diversity that live and breathe in this city. So, I composed a series of illustrated postcards that can be easily shared, mimicking the very act of cultural exchange embedded in our daily lives.

The Poster

As an addition to celebrate the people who so graciously spared a bit of their time in the midst of their own busy lives, reflecting and sharing their personal experiences, I made this (comically large) receipt poster.