I was invited to chair the session called Food for Thought at Asia Society. The event was called “In a Grain of Rice: Food & Culture for South and Southeast Asia”. I shared examples drawn from my research and own experiences to discuss the cultural significance of rice and reflected on how food bring communities together through participatory practices.
I invited my friends Ah Chuk and Kwai-Chun, organic farmers from Choi Yuen Tsuen to feature their famous char guar (Hakka Teacakes) at the event.
Choi Yuen Tsuen is located in the Northeastern New Territories, one of the few places left in Hong Kong that still practiced agriculture. The village made headline news in 2009-2010 when villagers joined forces with civic society groups to protest against governments’ plans to build the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-HK Express Link that would go through the village. Choi Yuen Tsuen became the symbol of the struggle between maintaining a way of life and urbanisation.
Event: In a Grain of Rice: Food & Culture for South and Southeast Asia
Organisers: Asia Society Hong Kong Centre
Panel Members: Daisy Tam (Hong Kong Baptist University), Yoshiko Nankano (University of Hong Kong), Michael Leung (Hong Kong Farm).
Venue: Asia Society Hong Kong Centre
Title: Rice is part of our shared culture, but few consumers know much about it
Author: Ruth Williams
Source: South China Morning Post
Link: www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-wine/article/1406929/rice-part-our-shared-culture-few-consumers-know-much-about-it
