Many young shun traditional food
Published on: Monday, June 27, 2022
Some of the traditional food showcased during the competition.
KOTA MARUDU: Traditional food play a huge part of a community’s culture and heritage and continuing to prepare it for family meals is a symbol of pride for one’s ethnicity.Political Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Arlinsia Agang said traditional food, which is passed down from generation to generation, also serves as an expression of cultural identity.
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“Unfortunately, many young people no longer recognise or even want to consume their own traditional food.
“This is saddening because traditional cuisine frequently reflects the community’s unique history, lifestyle, values and beliefs. What can we say about our values as a people if we cannot recognise our own food?” she said.
Agang said this after officiating the Kg Marak Parak Traditional Food Competition, here, recently.
She was grateful that at least for the time being, a great number of people still value traditional cuisine. She hoped, however, that more people, particularly the younger generation, would be interested in learning about these foods that have been passed down from one generation to the next.
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“It is important to remember that each meal has a unique position in the culture it comes from and has a special place in the hearts of those who prepare it. Food is a window into culture, and it should be handled as such,” she said.
Apart from its importance to the preservation of culture, Agang sees traditional food as a solution to the problem of rising food cost.
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“Traditional food means it does not rely on commercially produced food because they are mainly sourced from nature. It could help a household diversify their food sources, not to mention, it is healthier because commercially produced food typically contains a lot of chemicals,” she said.
Commenting on the competition, Agang said she hoped more villages and districts will host similar competitions in the future to keep traditions alive.
“It is also good because on my observations, traditional food may gain more popularity if there is sufficient supply in the market.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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