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.
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Eunice Rakhale-Molefe
Mabele, Sorghum IS South Africa’s indigenous grain.
Mabele is a staple food for breakfast, either as plain or
flavoured porridge, or a sour porridge, which is known in
Setswana as Ting ya Mabele. This staple could also be
prepared and served in a stiffer version, known as Pap, for
the main course. Mabele also serve as a livestock feed
component in the rural communities. The Mabele grain is
also the main ingredient for Umqombothi, Sorghum Beer.
Famous South African musician Vusi Mahlasela highlights
the importance of this grain in his celebrated song, Silang
Mabele, south Sotho for grinding the Mabele grain.
The song is a rallying call for unity to fight poverty. In the
song, Mahlasela sings in six different South African
languages, including the universally-common English
language, calling on the nation to get on with the job of
making the country work better for the benefit of all the
country’s people. Also in the song, the modest yet
outspoken artist says that we had celebrated when our
leaders returned from exile; and that, when conflict was
expected, we had applied the wisdom of forgiveness. But,
after the celebrations, and having yielded to the
overwhelming spirit of forgiveness, the time has come to
produce, and to unite, and to feed all the people the Mabele
grain, symbolising unity, goodwill and brotherhood.
Renowned novelist, the late Nadine Gordimer – whom I
had the pleasure of meeting, just before her passing, at the
African Century International African Writers Conference
held at the University of Free State in Bloemfontein in 2012
– had this to say about Mahlasela’s indigenous celebratory
music: “Vusi Mahlasela sings as a bird does: in total response to
being alive. He is a natural, and blessed with the gift of song. He has
the genuine artist’s highly intelligent application to develop his heavensent
talent; becoming a guitarist, a poet and composer of ever-growing
accomplishment. As music runs in his veins, so does strong awareness
of our times and place and the people, who, like him, give expression
to these. He generously brings new life to the work of other poets by
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