So I've decided to write regular posts in the lead up to The Ration Challenge. Not only to raise awareness around what I'm doing and why, but also to share recipe ideas for the challenge itself.
So I thought to start with, I'd talk a little about my limited experiences with refugees.
The fact is, I've probably met a lot of folk from refugee backgrounds. I know that one of my GP's fled the war in Iran with her family, for example. But we've never really talked about it - it's not exactly something you just ask someone unless you know them very well. So the only time I've openly spoken to someone of their experience as a refugee was at a wedding.
Some years ago (12ish?) I went to an exhibition by Misery held somewhere on K Road. I was headed there after going to some other thing, and by the time I arrived the friends I was meeting there were fairly hammered. One had befriended this tall, friendly guy who spoke very little English. His name was Bilal. For a few hours, they were best friends, but as the alcohol wore off, Bilal was set adrift, so another (sober) friend and I took him under our wing. My friend discovered she lived close to him, so dropped him home after, and then they became friends for real.
Bilal had come to New Zealand to learn English and experience life in a different (non-Muslim) culture. He came from an affluent family in Jordan and was a qualified pilot. While his English wasn't great, he was a very social guy and worked in a pizza place on K Road. He'd ended up at the exhibition purely because he'd heard people having a good time and wanted to see what it was all about. Even though at times he thought us Kiwi's crazy, he welcomed us into his life, and his home - which put us in contact with the Somalian family he was staying with.
Hospitality is one of the main tenets of the Muslim faith. Consequently, we were welcomed with warm smiles and sweet, milky tea. So welcomed that we were invited to the niece of Bilal's host families wedding. We were even given roles - as photographers (after they discovered we weren't so hot at doing bridal makeup), and traveled in a limousine* with the bridal party to the wedding.
For this particular community, men and women have separate celebrations - the legalities are performed between the brides father and the groom. So the women have an epic hoolie with singing and dancing and drumming, while the men have a formal dinner somewhere up the road. Because there are no men there, it is an opportunity for the women to let loose and really enjoy themselves, in their brightest sequinned flowing outfits.
It was during these celebrations that I met a woman missing two fingers. Her name eludes me after all these years, but she was the most open and warmest women at the celebration. She welcomed us white strangers in our drab garb and helped us understand what to do during the drumming, singing and dancing and answered all our questions. She had divorced her husband because he abused her, and consequently, had her fingers chopped off. Shortly after that, she fled her home with her kids and ended up here. She didn't talk much about her journey here - just about how grateful she was to have her freedom, and about life as a modern, divorced Muslim woman in the New Zealand Somalian community.
I had seen people missing fingers. But only men, and only due to war (my Great Grandfather) or industrial machinery accidents. I had never met a woman who'd had her fingers brutally separated from her. For trying to do her best for herself and her children. I mean, I knew this stuff happened, but I never saw it, so the idea of it was more like watching a movie - distanced from reality. Like anti-Semitism being an actual thing. And Donald Trump. Even though these issues are very real and very dangerous, in all honesty they feel distanced from my day to day life.
People scouring the debris of buildings after a strike by Syrian Government forces
And while this woman was from Somalia, and not from Syria - her story is not unlike theirs. They have had to flee their home to survive, and for their families to survive. And the largest camp holding them, is in the home country of the person who connected me to my first refugee story. Bilal told me that if I went to Jordan I could stay at anyone's home - even a strangers - for three nights because this was just the sort of hospitality expected in Jordan. I am grateful to see them extending a similar hospitality to the refugees who have made it across the border. And I'd love to offer my humbler hospitality to those in the camps there, so distanced from my life by doing a small thing to help provide food and education and the possibility of better things for them. And I also hope that through doing this challenge, and understanding one aspect of refugee life, it helps me feel a little less distant.
* * * * * * * *
Now, I promised recipes...
I decided to start with something simple that uses the ingredient which will make up the majority of my diet over those seven days: rice. And I decided to make a snack that is part of my usual diet on a regular basis: rice crackers. I have never made rice crackers before. In fact, I'd never even considered that you can make rice crackers before. But I know I will want both something to snack on for this challenge, and something that is a normal part of my diet. Because those things are both comforting.
So I found this recipe online and thought I'd give it a go.
I have substituted ingredients out for things I will have in the challenge. So instead of coconut oil, I used canola oil. And I didn't add any salt. Sounds bland? A little. Nonetheless - they are crunchy, and I can pretend they are chips. And they have the kids tick of approval - which is not easy to get! Abby demolished her first two, then tried to sneak some more! And Etta swallowed a small bite without too much complaint, which is high praise from her. Abby said 'I like the green crackers best' so it's an easy way to get fresh greens into a kid too! Murray was also a fan. His feedback was: 'They are crunchy good and yum.'
So not only have I found something I can make for the Ration Challenge, but I've found something I can make for everyday snacks. It's not too labour intensive, the kids can help make them, and is definitely healthier for the kids than the supermarket rice crackers. They are cheap, and provide a lot of scope for flavour options outside of the Ration Challenge. Murray has already said I will have to make an extra batch for the kids when I'm doing the challenge so that they don't nick mine as my limited resources will be precious!
If you'd like to sponsor me for the Ration Challenge, just click here (ignore the recommended donation levels, give what you can). If you'd like to participate in the Ration Challenge yourself, click here. If you'd like more information of how you can help refugee communities here in NZ in non-monetary ways, click here. And if you'd like to keep an eye out for more recipe posts from me, just watch this space!
* It is the only time I've ever been in a limousine
So I thought to start with, I'd talk a little about my limited experiences with refugees.
The fact is, I've probably met a lot of folk from refugee backgrounds. I know that one of my GP's fled the war in Iran with her family, for example. But we've never really talked about it - it's not exactly something you just ask someone unless you know them very well. So the only time I've openly spoken to someone of their experience as a refugee was at a wedding.
Some work by the iconic Misery (AKA Tanja Thompson)
Some years ago (12ish?) I went to an exhibition by Misery held somewhere on K Road. I was headed there after going to some other thing, and by the time I arrived the friends I was meeting there were fairly hammered. One had befriended this tall, friendly guy who spoke very little English. His name was Bilal. For a few hours, they were best friends, but as the alcohol wore off, Bilal was set adrift, so another (sober) friend and I took him under our wing. My friend discovered she lived close to him, so dropped him home after, and then they became friends for real.Bilal had come to New Zealand to learn English and experience life in a different (non-Muslim) culture. He came from an affluent family in Jordan and was a qualified pilot. While his English wasn't great, he was a very social guy and worked in a pizza place on K Road. He'd ended up at the exhibition purely because he'd heard people having a good time and wanted to see what it was all about. Even though at times he thought us Kiwi's crazy, he welcomed us into his life, and his home - which put us in contact with the Somalian family he was staying with.
Hospitality is one of the main tenets of the Muslim faith. Consequently, we were welcomed with warm smiles and sweet, milky tea. So welcomed that we were invited to the niece of Bilal's host families wedding. We were even given roles - as photographers (after they discovered we weren't so hot at doing bridal makeup), and traveled in a limousine* with the bridal party to the wedding.
For this particular community, men and women have separate celebrations - the legalities are performed between the brides father and the groom. So the women have an epic hoolie with singing and dancing and drumming, while the men have a formal dinner somewhere up the road. Because there are no men there, it is an opportunity for the women to let loose and really enjoy themselves, in their brightest sequinned flowing outfits.
A Somalian wedding dance - very similar to one performed at the wedding we went to.
I had seen people missing fingers. But only men, and only due to war (my Great Grandfather) or industrial machinery accidents. I had never met a woman who'd had her fingers brutally separated from her. For trying to do her best for herself and her children. I mean, I knew this stuff happened, but I never saw it, so the idea of it was more like watching a movie - distanced from reality. Like anti-Semitism being an actual thing. And Donald Trump. Even though these issues are very real and very dangerous, in all honesty they feel distanced from my day to day life.
People scouring the debris of buildings after a strike by Syrian Government forces
* * * * * * * *
Now, I promised recipes...
I decided to start with something simple that uses the ingredient which will make up the majority of my diet over those seven days: rice. And I decided to make a snack that is part of my usual diet on a regular basis: rice crackers. I have never made rice crackers before. In fact, I'd never even considered that you can make rice crackers before. But I know I will want both something to snack on for this challenge, and something that is a normal part of my diet. Because those things are both comforting.
So I found this recipe online and thought I'd give it a go.
Rice crackers - half plain, half parsley - an ingredient I am considering for one of my bonuses
I have substituted ingredients out for things I will have in the challenge. So instead of coconut oil, I used canola oil. And I didn't add any salt. Sounds bland? A little. Nonetheless - they are crunchy, and I can pretend they are chips. And they have the kids tick of approval - which is not easy to get! Abby demolished her first two, then tried to sneak some more! And Etta swallowed a small bite without too much complaint, which is high praise from her. Abby said 'I like the green crackers best' so it's an easy way to get fresh greens into a kid too! Murray was also a fan. His feedback was: 'They are crunchy good and yum.'
So not only have I found something I can make for the Ration Challenge, but I've found something I can make for everyday snacks. It's not too labour intensive, the kids can help make them, and is definitely healthier for the kids than the supermarket rice crackers. They are cheap, and provide a lot of scope for flavour options outside of the Ration Challenge. Murray has already said I will have to make an extra batch for the kids when I'm doing the challenge so that they don't nick mine as my limited resources will be precious!
Abby endorsing these home-made rice crackers (looks like a grimace, but that's her smile)
If you'd like to sponsor me for the Ration Challenge, just click here (ignore the recommended donation levels, give what you can). If you'd like to participate in the Ration Challenge yourself, click here. If you'd like more information of how you can help refugee communities here in NZ in non-monetary ways, click here. And if you'd like to keep an eye out for more recipe posts from me, just watch this space!
* It is the only time I've ever been in a limousine
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