Feeding curiosity
Chantal Namba from Cameroon brought some Cameroonian native delicacies to the Connect Church. Photo: William Woodworth.
The sharing of cultural connections through language and food saw many cross-cultural connections made last Tuesday. The annual International Languages Week ‘language market’ at the Connect Church shared insights into the home cultures of many Marlburians from across the globe.
President of the Marlborough Korean Association, Sohee Bae, said events like the International Language Market encouraged the connection and collaboration of many different cultures and languages. “This is what you would call our cross-cultural pot luck dinner”, said Sohee. “Unity between migrant populations is very important between cultures but so is being a part of the community - it is important for us to have the place to begin to connect, because every culture is sort of isolated so events like this build a wider Marlborough family.
“We all live in New Zealand, so we respect and connect with the other cultures and build a common New Zealand culture - it’s why for example butter chicken pies are so popular.”
Marlborough Multicultural Centre manager Sigrun Steinhagen experienced the day for her first time and took much away from the two hours. “I loved learning a few new words, and I especially enjoyed discovering the meaning of tea in Chinese culture as a tea drinker and how it brings together the five elements - Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.
“Being able to taste such a range of delicious dishes just by moving through the room in under two hours was incredible - there’s something special about the warmth of a shared meal. “I also appreciated the entertainment and was surprised and delighted by the unexpected connection between Pōkarekare Ana and Korea!
“Food is not just nourishing but also transcends language and cultural barriers - a gateway into someone else’s culture and sharing food says, ‘you’re welcome here’. “That kind of generosity reduces social distance and helps build genuine connections ... and that’s why it’s such a powerful tool for connecting ethnicities and fostering inclusive, multicultural communities.”