Names: Segun, Nita & Jaime
Scran: various
Mother Language: British Sign Language
Anita Kanji – a WAITE Wellbeing Leader at the Manchester Deaf Centre – was contacted through ‘Cracking Good Food’ Organisation in Manchester for Sounds Like Scran. Anita Kanji arranged and facilitated all the sessions.
On 4th March 2021, an online workshop was organised for the Wellbeing group via Zoom, to discuss their own food story. [MDC] invited 2 speakers, Semay Wu and Alistair Small (from CFCCA) to talk to them about contributing to an online cookbook. They asked the Wellbeing group to tell their story about their favourite foods and the memories that this food or dish evoked. It could be a memory of cooking with the family, a day out, being away on holiday or having their favourite takeaway. Each service user gave an anecdote of their special moments from the past, and the food they associated with this.
Contributions instigated by Anita Kanji’s example below:
Name: Anita Kanji (WAITE Wellbeing Leader for MDC)
Scran: Indian cuisine
Mother Language: BSL
“I was raised in Britain, born and bred here. But my family always cooked Indian food, food from their culture. I travelled to India, where my family are originally from, and when we went, we stayed for a month. I learned the different traditions, regarding food and how to cook it. What my family cooked here in England was not the same as what was being cooked in India, which was delicious! The reason being, is that India have the resources, the herbs and spices. We don’t quite have the same here in England. We came home and we tried to copy it but it just wasn’t the same. So, we realised even though we share the same culture and heritage, it is different, even from just the ingredients, how it’s cooked, and the different ways of cooking it. Obviously, I still love my Mother’s food, and even when I try to cook that, it is also not the same!”
Name: Jaime
Scran: Salmon & Chinese Cuisine
Mother Language: BSL
“I love Salmon, it’s healthy, and it supports my exercise regime. It’s all about being healthy. My mother cooks salmon, its a tradition in our family.”
“My brother and I both love the same food. We both love Chinese food. It’s really delicious. It’s just so tempting to eat. It’s my favourite choice.”
Name: Nita
Scran: Chicken and rice
Mother Language: BSL
“Chicken and rice… Culturally it’s an Indian dish, and I always pick that. It reminds me of 5 years ago when we flew over to India. It was a ten-hour flight. When I visited, I ate this dish, so it is a memory of that dish.”
Name: Segun
Scran: Amala (Nigerian dumplings made from yams)
Mother Language: BSL
“In Africa, I’d eat everything. I mean, here, we have Fish and Chips, and things like that but… If I were to pick a favourite food [going out to eat], it would be Chinese or Mexican, or food from Pakistan. If I cook from home it would be African food.
“What’s your favourite African dish?” “Wow! So difficult to explain, there are so many. Perhaps Amala..? Yes it would include rice. But in Africa, the food is so different around the regions. It’s so diverse as they have influences from France and Spain.”
Name: Karen Slinger
Scran: Egg Soldiers
Mother Language: BSL
Have a look: Here
Name: Shailesh Patel
Scran: Sweet and Sour Chicken
Mother Language: BSL
VIdeo: Here
Name: Imran Mustafa
Scran: Spinach & Paneer Curry, Paratha and Yoghurt
Mother Language: BSL
Video: Here