VEG FRIENDLY: GARY STEEL

Gary Steel: No one is perfect

Lately it’s become fashionable to tear down statues of colonial-era oppressors who, just a few years back, were still celebrated as heroes.

It’s interesting how current perspectives always reshape history, and how it seems to be an affliction of the present era that we find it necessary to paint historical figures as either villains or heroes, with of sexual orientation, were ideas whose time had not yet infused been a handy excuse for exploitation and power plays. In fact, we

no middle ground and no real thought about the times they lived in, and how the cultural mores of the time might have dictated their views of the world.

In reality, human beings are all flawed, and most of us are rather too influenced by each other and the zeitgeist of the era in which we live. It’s only natural.

It’s only really since the advent of the internet and social media that the general public has been able to readily access the detailed scholarly research that has revealed the flaws in just about every previously untouchable major figure from the past. Look at the way the saintly Mother Theresa has been demonized, and the long list of important religious figures and gurus that have been exposed as revolution, with a new generation determined to make a better world.

frauds or predators.

For many years Gandhi was a personal hero, both for his extraordinary peaceful activism and his advocacy of vegetarianism. But a closer inspection reveals a man whose beliefs and actions – by 21st century standards – would be considered sexist if not outright misogynist. belief system that placed men above women. And while he fought for the rights of those on the margins, he also believed that this biological existence was simply a penance to be paid in preparation for what came after. Like so many religious believers, his ideas were anti-nature. He was a man of his time, but also, a man out of time.

If we were able to travel back in time, 100 or 200 years, we’d see just how out of step and freakishly marginal vegetarians were. In most societies, equal rights for women and non-discrimination on account through society. The same would have been true of racism. Through the history of humankind, discrimination - whether against the tribe across the river, or those people with different coloured skin - has can effectively travel back in time today by looking at fundamentalist societies where women are still stoned to death, or even more sophisticated societies with governments that limit the information available to their people, thereby keeping them ignorant and fuelling them with the idea that they are the chosen ones.

In 2020, it feels like there’s a kind of revolution in the air. It’s a “woke” But then, despite his courageous actions, he still existed within a

As an “okay boomer” (ha) I love that there’s an idealism that hasn’t been as widespread since the campus activism of the early 1970s. It feels like a real movement and compassion for animals and care for the environment are all part of that big picture.

It’s important to remember, however, that no one now, or in the future, will be perfect; that heroes will almost always let you down if you stoop to pick through their dirty linen. People are seldom all good or all bad. It’s time to focus on the issues, not the individuals. (GARY STEEL)  PN

Gary Steel is an Auckland-based journalist who runs entertainment site for grownups, www.witchdoctor.co.nz. He can be contacted via beautmusic@gmail.com

Varsha Belwalkar can be found at the market selling delicious Indian food.

Where did you grow up? My parents are highly educated and started their own school in our village - both were college principals. My father won the highest national award in teaching.

What did you study? A range of things – I have a Bachelors degree in Education, a Masters degree in Botany and Horticulture, a degree in Environmental Management and a Diploma in HR.

Wow, that is a lot of degrees! Did you work in that area? Yes – I worked as a horticulturist for a luxury hotel with extensive gardens. It was very satisfying work, but it was very busy. When I married, my husband was also working long hours and travelling a lot. Sometimes we would only see each other for a few hours at an airport.

What brought you to New Zealand? We needed time to build our relationship and our family. We came to New Zealand in 1999 with our young daughter for a healthier lifestyle and in 2001 our son was born here. Now we have New Zealand citizenship – we are Kiwis.

Did you work when you first arrived? I worked for 13 years in the parks and environmental services area of Auckland Council before deciding to try something new.

I have always been a passionate home cook and we entertain a lot and it’s not unusual for me to cater for over a hundred people at home. My husband encouraged me to set up Saattveek restaurant in Sandringham. It was very popular, and I was always proud that visiting Indian diplomats were often hosted at our restaurant.

What encouraged you to start selling your food at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market? The lease on the restaurant came to an end and I knew that our food was a good fit with Grey Lynn. In the early years of the market, I sometimes ran Indian cooking classes here. Many of our restaurant customers come from this area. My family has always been vegetarian and we serve a lot of vegan and gluten-free food.

Tell me about your experience at the market. I love our regular customers giving me feedback on what they like. They appreciate the authenticity of our food, which I make just like I would in India.

Our chai is always popular because I make it fresh; the traditional Indian way with lots of spices. I am always amused at the demand for our mango lassi because lassi is only drunk in summer in India. I believe it is healthier to eat seasonally to suit seasonal produce, but most people are used to being able to eat whatever they want all year round.

What do you do when you aren’t at the market? I cater food for large corporate events, especially around Diwali.

I am a Justice of the Peace, and I have been on a community grants board for many years. We are both very involved in the local Indian community. We support new immigrants from India to settle into the local community and my husband ran the Indian radio station for a long time. And we regularly organise events to showcase classical Indian music, theatre, arts and literature.

Do you ever get a chance for a rest and some spare time? My family are all big readers and we have a room dedicated to books. But lately I have been watching a lot of Netflix. Recently I’ve been hooked on Korean movies and have also watched a lot of Turkish, Danish and Israeli dramas.  PN

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