“Once there lived a father and his two daughters. One daughter he loved above all else, and one he hated so. Everyday he would cook up a big pot of soup. And everyday he would serve the soup to his daughters. To the daughter he loved, he would serve the yam, chicken, dumpling, corn and carrot from the soup. To the daughter he hated, he would serve only the soup water. As time passed to his surprise, the daughter he hated grew taller and stronger, whilst the daughter he loved became thinner and weaker, eventually passing away. The father was heartbroken, spending the rest of his days wondering why. The answer – all the nutrients from the food had leaked into the soup water.”
This is one of my favourite food fables. The story normally ends with the audience guessing why the daughter he hated grew stronger from the soup. And whilst it is told as a fun and slightly dark tale, it is also a moral reminder of the consequences of spiteful and particularly ill-intentioned behaviour.
Around the world, food myths are the stories we create to make sense of who we are, where we come from and how we want the world to be. It is a way for us to hand down advice, history and knowledge to further generations. I love listening to tales of tricks, magic and courage, learning more about the cultures and people I’m fortunate enough to meet.
Throughout The Dining Room project, we have been exploring these food stories as a window into the wisdom and histories of the group, with tales from Pakistan, Ireland, Nigeria, Indonesia and more. These stories will form part of the final Dining Room digital art piece, as a celebration of the rich food history of Rochdale.
