7 minute read
Style (page 11), Interview (pages 12 and
from Indigo 843
by Palatinate
interview.indigo@palatinate.org.uk
Durham ACS and Black History Month
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Interview Editor Steph Ormond talks to ACS President Hashr Buwembo
Durham University’s African Caribbean Society was founded in 2015 by first-year students who wished to provide a welcoming space for students to celebrate African and Caribbean culture. Six years on, let us turn to the group’s current President Hashr (Ashley) Buwembo [first left in the photo], a second-year International Relations student from Hatfield, as she discusses Durham ACS and what Black History Month means to her and the society.
Q. What is an ACS and its significance within the university community?
A.“The ACS is a society to come and appreciate African and Caribbean culture which incorporates music, food and games, just the
works. It is a place for individuals to meet each other and acts as a safe haven for those who are similar to them.
Q. How many members do you have?
A.We have approximately 200 members this year from first-year to postgraduate students which is quite good.”
According to the Student Registry statistics from the 2020-21 academic year, there were approximately just over 400 full-time students of Black and Mixed-race heritage. Compared to the whole student population, that came out to around 2%.Nonetheless,Durham ACS still have their fair share of prominent alumni.
Q. Are there any famous or notable alumni who were members of the ACS? Where are they now?
A.“So I do know of Ifeoluwa Bayo-Oluyamo. She was a previous Vice-President for ACS who graduated in 2020 with a degree in Law, so not too long ago. Now, she is currently an AS Aspire candidate training to be a solicitor.”
Q. What does Black History Month mean to you?
A. “Initially, Black History Month for me is about remembering important historical events
and people from the African diaspora who have contributed to how Black history has come about. Including the remembrance of tragedies within this history that have occurred. After that, I think that it is certainly a month of gratitude - gratitude to ourselves from ourselves about Black excellence. In this month especially, we highlight the appreciation of Black history by other members of society in general. By that, I mean not just by African or Caribbean people, but by people from all backgrounds.”
Q. Do you have a favourite Black figure from history that you can say has inspired you and why?
A. “Like a favourite? I have an Angela Davis poster, typical I know - but yeah, let us start there. She is both a very strong advocate for prison reform whilst being a passionate educator for Black people. I do think that she is one to go the full way in what she does. And I admire that. Likewise, I have got to say Angela Davis is my favourite Black figure from history. In my opinion, things cannot go wrong with her.”
Q. How is Durham ACS celebrating Black History Month this year?
A. “This year, we are doing different tributes to celebrate various people via our stories on our Instagram profile @DurhamACS. Every couple of days, we post about a few people who represent us from different eras of Black History. For example, we had Angela Davis, Malorie Blackman, and Mary McLeod Bethune. Bethune was a pioneer for Black education in the United States and fought for education rights for African Americans. Also, we are hosting Black History Month movie nights, so people can vote for the movies that they want to watch to celebrate it.
The list features movies directed by Black people, featuring prominent Black figures, famous events from the past. So that’s how Durham ACS is celebrating Black History Month.”
food@palatinate.org.uk
My food, my heritage, my history
Three students discuss how food connects them to their heritage
Nigerian jollof rice By Vanessa Ohanebo Ghanaian jollof rice By Lois Mensah
From a casual lunch with friends, to a family birthday party, all the way to a wedding menu, jollof has always been a unifying dish across Nigeria. It’s been used as the main dish in celebrations and its rich flavours always seem to bring the whole community together. At its core lie three main ingredients: rice, tomato and seasoning, although additional ingredients such as vegetables can often be added to the main recipe to further enhance the flavour. In my experience, every jollof recipe has varied from family to family and so the taste can range from sweet to spicy. But, the main thing binding all the ingredients together is the rich, flavourful tomato base which is traditionally left to simmer for hours and allowed to stew before the rice is added in, hence why it has such a deep flavour. In my family, we usually eat jollof during celebrations such as Christmas or Easter, in addition to also having it regularly on Sundays. Whilst jollof on its own is great, it’s the combination with other foods that really makes it special. As shown in the picture, usually we would have the rice alongside salad, plantain and chicken, or assorted meat and fish. Jollof means enjoyment and this celebrational food has been passed down through generations to today, where it’s now Nigeria’s national dish. The most debated West African food, which has managed to separate people for as long as I can remember, has to be the special delicacy called jollof rice. Originally from Senegal, taking its name from the Wolof tribe, this delicious dish made with rice, tomatoes and various spices has become extremely popular even in the diaspora. Ghanaians and Nigerians have been contending for decades over who makes the best jollof, and though I might be biased due to my own origins, I have to say, Ghana jollof is by far superior to any other. There have even been many competitions throughout the years to settle this everlasting dispute. The most recent one was the Onga Jollof Battle, which took place in Accra, and Ghana was crowned the winner in 2019. Despite causing a lot of agitation, jollof rice is also a celebratory food. It defines West African heritage for many people, representing a link to the traditional way of living that we don’t get to experience from outside of our parents’ countries. What some people may dismiss as just a plate of colourful rice has been an intrinsic part of my childhood. To this day, it connects me to my roots and I have many fond memories attached to it. This experience is certainly one I hope to pass forward to my children and hopefully, they too will defend Ghana jollof, as I have.
Taste of Cabo Verde
By Andreia Tavares Semedo
My heritage hails from the shores of West Africa, Cabo Verde, an archipelago of ten islands barely visible on a world map and even less so in the consciousness of the rest of the world. Despite our small population, our cultural cuisine is still as rich as that of nations triple its size. Food is an integral part of being Cape Verdean as it serves to connect our large diaspora; more Cape Verdeans live abroad than in Cape Verde itself. Food is also an important part of our collective cultural identity: growing up, cooking together with my mum and tias was instrumental in forging relationships and passing recipes down. I have strong memories associated with the food I was surrounded with growing up: leftover catchupa (the national dish of Cabo Verde, made from a mix of maize, yams, plantains and more) refogada with a fried egg, is tied to the comfort of a lazy Sunday morning. Also, Feijoada, a hearty bean stew associated with joy and familiarity. It is a staple at any large family gathering, paired with varieties of rice brought by each household. With a fraught history of slavery and colonialism, Cape Verdeans have had to build up our culture from the fragments of our stolen ancestors’ previous ancestral lands combined with Portugal’s colonial influence. The result is a hybrid Afro-European cuisine filled with comfort, heartiness, and a culture equating food (and its preparation) to love and survival.
