Slow food festival in Jaintia Hills
JOWAI: Variety of local cuisine were displayed and sold by villagers of Mookyndeng area who actively participated in a slow food festival organised by the Pynroi Cluster Level Federation, Mookyndeng Cluster at Madan Pamshna football ground, Jaintia Hills on Wednesday.
The slow food festival was initiated by the Meghalaya Rural Development Society (MRDS) and the North East Slow Food and Agro biodiversity Society (NESFAS). Consultants Rahul Antao and Annelie Bernhart were presence on the occasion besides MRDS officials including Project Manager S Lyngdoh.
Speaking at the inaugural function, the MRDS Project Manager informed that the concept of the slow food festival is to encourage local people to value and preserve the unique traditional food because such foods are ‘good, fair and safe’.
The Secretary Shnong of Laskein village, Markham Suchiang said, “This programme is benefiting our people. Had I known it earlier we (Dorbar shnong) would have instructed every members of the village to attend the programme.”
Retired District Transport Officer, Robinus Syngkon, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said, “Traditional and regional cuisine will die if we don’t take steps to preserve them.”
“Many of us now are completely dependent on ready-made food items or factory processed food and we forgot our traditional food items. Factory processed food feed our stomach but poison us,” he said.
“Our grandparents lived more than 100 years because they never used processed food and lived on fresh food available locally and regionally,” he said.
The MRDS had initiated a similar programme in Jowai a couple of months back. On Tuesday a slow food festival was held at Umsalait village under Iooksi area. Similar festivals will be organised at Biar, Donaskul and Nongtalang villages.
“The slow food festival at Nongtalang and Donaskul will be organised jointly with the Tourism departments of East and West Jaintia hills districts,” Lyngdoh said.