Culture in conversation: creating inclusive food communities

At a time when many of Sydney’s neighbourhoods are undergoing rapid transformation through gentrification processes, where opportunities for some social groups and institutions open up while others are closed down, the issue of inclusivity is central to new conversations and developments in creating accessible, healthy and resilient communities. It is also central to the question of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people can move forward in a united and respectful way. It’s about active and valued citizenship for all.

Through the prism of food and the format of a yarn, we invite communities across Sydney to participate in a cross-cultural and meaningful conversation about inclusivity at this NAIDOC week event. We explore the following questions: what does an inclusive food community involve and what are some inhibitors and enablers of such communities? What can you do to create a more inclusive food community in the neighbourhoods in which you work, live and play? How do these concepts of inclusivity relate to the wider food justice and environmental justice movements?

Sydney Environment Institute and FoodLab Sydney has partnered with YARN Australia and the University of Sydney Union (USU) to bring together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander with non-Indigenous communities for an evening of ceremony, performance, meaningful conversation and the sharing of food and stories.

The collaboration starts in the kitchen with Aunty Jennifer Quinlin, Aunty Agnus Ware and Catherine Jackson working with USU chefs, lead by Matt King. Together they have designed a menu and will join forces on the day of the event to cook up and serve soups, Johnny cakes, damper and more.

Please arrive at 5pm for the light dinner. This will be followed by a smoking ceremony, performances, and a circle yarn, where the audience will be invited to participate in the conversation.

This event was held at the University of Sydney on Monday, 8 July 2019. 

Header image: by Wenni Zhou via Unsplash.