Storytelling Event - December 2022
’Every Life is a Story - Building Heritage around Intergenerational Dialogue and Intercultural Befriending”
The No.1 Befriending Agency Heritage Project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The aim of the Project is to incorporate an exploration of heritage into our established Befriending Services.
The Heritage Project continued today in Govan with our very well attended Brunch and Storytelling Event which was led by Trinidad and Greer from The Village Storytelling Centre. We were also joined by founder and Chief Executive, Audrey Mutongi, staff and volunteers.
December’s theme is food and drink. Trinidad started the session while we enjoyed brunch, by asking folks to share a dish or food that triggered childhood memories, or reminded them of someone or something. The memories spanned over seven decades and travelled around the world.
Volunteer Antonella told us about her mother’s lasagne which originates from the North of Italy and Trinidad told us about her grandmother’s Catalonian paella. Food in Scotland today has an international flavour, but in the post war years meals were very bland. The main aim of the “mammies” was to fill everyone up, especially in big families. Home made soup, mince and tatties, and big pots of custard were the staple diet in most homes.
The discussion on drinks also travelled the globe. We heard about Pisco from Chile which is enjoyed on celebrations for Independence Day, and the Italian Zabaione made from eggs, coffee and a hint of Marsala. Audrey told us about a drink from Ghana that is similar to mulled wine, but flavoured with hibiscus leaves. The favourite Scottish memories included sherry in the trifle, Babycham, ginger wine, Advocaat and lemonade and of course, Irn Bru.
Trinidad was today’s storyteller. She told the European folk story “Stone Soup” which tells the tale of a village that had been through a lot hardship including food poverty. The villagers had become suspicious of their neighbours and were unwilling to share any of their food stores. A traveller arrives in the village and using an empty pot and a stone, he cleverly persuades every villager to share a small amount of food to make a meal that everyone enjoys. The moral of the story is that the act of sharing benefits everyone who contributes.
We then played a game with the group split into pairs and each pair was given the task of finding as may dishes as possible with their ingredients.
Greer, who is a visual artist, led the group in making miniature edible art sculptures using brightly coloured marzipan. The results were brilliant, with foods from Italy, Scotland and Zimbabwe including pasta, sandwiches, birthday cakes, and gammon steaks being eagerly eyed by a hungry cat.
The story, activities and chat were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who came along. Trinidad said “how amazing to hear the stories about other cultures and times, I definitely learnt a lot today about what things stay the same and what things change”.
For more information or to join an event please contact The No.1 Befriending Agency on 0141 465 6998 or email info@befriend.org.uk
