SOUTH AFRICAN CULINARY HERITAGE
The book South African Culinary Heritage by Eunice Rakhale, is about local food history and traditions interlaced with family conversations. It illustrates the culinary diversity of Southern African cuisine and some neighbouring countries, comparing the similarities and unique palatable heritages thereof. Written in a conversational style, the book is a handy culinary compilation which will bestow the reader with explorations regarding local African lifestyles history, art, clothing, music and perhaps even some song and dance. For tourists visiting these African countries – possessing a diversity of ethnic cultures, it is a worthy read regarding heritage and of-course African cuisine. A guide which should be included in any tourist’s travel pack and families. It is about a genuine story told with an extraordinary ability that draws parallel between the author’s struggle in the restaurant industry and in her personal life. Ultimately, her passion for food is where she finds solace to learn, heal and grow. Mother Daughter relationships can be extremely complex and Eunice is no exception. In the book, besides a plethora of authentic recipes and history, she shares candidly about her strained relationship with her daughter Mothei Makhetha. Being estranged for seven years, Mothei writes her mother a letter, in a desperate cry for help, which she hopes will begin the healing process. After receiving the letter, circumstances of her life took Eunice back home to her mother in Moletsane, Soweto. This happens while she is researching her culinary book authenticating the recipes through the help of her mother. This handing down of recipes from her mother gets them connected on a very deep level, thus, creating compassion and trust they never had. In desperation Eunice seeks counselling from her own mother to try and mend the relationship with her daughter. Their journey is one of true and sincere conversations handed down from one generation to another, around family meals and prayerful family meetings.
The book South African Culinary Heritage by Eunice Rakhale, is about local food history and traditions interlaced with family conversations. It illustrates the culinary diversity of Southern African cuisine and some neighbouring countries, comparing the similarities and unique palatable heritages thereof. Written in a conversational style, the book is a handy culinary compilation which will bestow the reader with explorations regarding local African lifestyles history, art, clothing, music and perhaps even some song and dance. For tourists visiting these African countries – possessing a diversity of ethnic cultures, it is a worthy read regarding heritage and of-course African cuisine. A guide which should be included in any tourist’s travel pack and families.
It is about a genuine story told with an extraordinary ability that draws parallel between the author’s struggle in the restaurant industry and in her personal life. Ultimately, her passion for food is where she finds solace to learn, heal and grow.
Mother Daughter relationships can be extremely complex and Eunice is no exception. In the book, besides a plethora of authentic recipes and history, she shares candidly about her strained relationship with her daughter Mothei Makhetha. Being estranged for seven years, Mothei writes her mother a letter, in a desperate cry for help, which she hopes will begin the healing process. After receiving the letter, circumstances of her life took Eunice back home to her mother in Moletsane, Soweto. This happens while she is researching her culinary book authenticating the recipes through the help of her mother. This handing down of recipes from her mother gets them connected on a very deep level, thus, creating compassion and trust they never had. In desperation Eunice seeks counselling from her own mother to try and mend the relationship with her daughter.
Their journey is one of true and sincere conversations handed down from one generation to another, around family meals and prayerful family meetings.
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
South African Culinary Heritage
I have come to learn about all of these wonderful revelations
as God navigates me through the process of healing for my
family. With this healing also came the realisation that I had
parented from the fear of poverty; meaning that, any efforts
I had made as a parent was to avert situations in which my
children would have to endure being without food, having
malnutrition-related diseases and going to school without
shoes or warm clothing in winter. I had become consumed
and driven by the need to overcome poverty to the point of
neglecting the basics of just being in the proverbial
“presence” and “moment” with my children. Thankfully,
the family talks gave me an opportunity to heal my povertyrelated
wounds, about which I had not been aware, all along.
No matter how big or small the problem, you must start the
conversation. Delaying the conversation for 30 years, like I
had, is rescheduling imminent calamity. You will need
prayer though; because, without prayer it is impossible to
talk; even about mundane things. God loves families;
therefore, He helps us whenever we try to restore these, and
gives us the Grace to endure.
Sadly, four years after my mother’s passing, I finally faced the
reality that – after more than 30 years – there was no
repentance regarding this sin in my marriage. To avoid
further harm, I got out of the marriage. This was done
peacefully – and without anger, bitterness or any profanity
– but, with goodwill. We separated!
Today, I refer to my separation with sadness; because,
whatever the circumstances may be, God hates divorce.
Divorce grieves God; especially when families get torn
apart; and that is a fact I cannot shy away from. And, for
this I am filled with Godly sorrow, even though I am the
one who had chosen to initiate the separation. But, truly,
separation happened in my marriage, not because of the
wrongs that had happened, but because our hearts were too
hard to repent and change. The Word of God tells us that it
215
Change language