EVENTS
SALNAM Launches Cooking Class for Kids: Connecting Our Children to Sierra Leone Through Food
SALNAM is excited to announce the launch of a special cooking class tailored for Sierra Leonean kids. Scheduled to take place from April 3rd to 5th, 2025, this three-day event is designed to teach children how to prepare and appreciate the traditional dishes of Sierra Leone renowned worldwide for their rich flavors and exceptional nutritional value. Often celebrated as some of the finest cuisine in the West African region, Sierra Leonean food is packed with health-boosting ingredients and vibrant taste profiles that transcend borders.
This program comes at a crucial time. In a world where fast food and convenience meals dominate many families’ diets, immigrant communities often face the challenge of preserving their culinary heritage. Food is one of the most significant cultural traditions that risk being lost over generations if steps aren’t taken to expose younger children to the ingredients, techniques, and flavors of their ancestral cuisine.
Beyond preserving our rich heritage, traditional Sierra Leonean dishes like cassava leaves, potato leaves, okra, and fufu are highly nutritious and serve as a natural counterbalance to the diet-related health issues so prevalent in fast-food-driven environments.
The benefits of this program are multifaceted:
- Teaching children how to cook traditional meals strengthens their connection to their roots, fostering a strong sense of identity and belonging.
- Kids who grow up knowing how to prepare the dishes of their ancestral homeland are more likely to pass these culinary traditions on to future generations.
- Early exposure to wholesome, home-cooked meals encourages healthier eating habits, potentially preventing diet-related illnesses as they grow older.
- Learning to cook also nurtures family bonds and encourages intergenerational learning, providing an opportunity for elders to share their knowledge and skills with younger members of the community.
- Moreover, it instills confidence in children, empowering them to share their culture with peers and build bridges across diverse communities in Manitoba.
This initiative isn’t just for kids it strengthens our entire community. It offers meaningful roles for knowledgeable elder women and community members to contribute to preparing the next generation, ensuring that our cultural practices endure.
As our community president aptly puts it:
“By equipping children with the knowledge and skills to cook traditional food, we are not just teaching them how to make a meal we are ensuring the survival of our culinary traditions for years to come.” – Moe Koroma
Article written by Amadu Sidi Bah (SALNAM Editorial Executive Team)
| Sponsor By: Province of Manitoba Ethnocultural Community Support Program (ECSP) |
