Terra Madre Day Dinner 2024

Event Date：December 22, 2024

Location： Amesokonesoko (Nakijin Vilage)

 

Terra Madre Day is an event celebrated worldwide to honor local traditional foods and biodiversity, commemorating the signing of the Slow Food Manifesto in Paris on December 10, 1989. As Slow Food Ryukyus, we view this day as “an opportunity to spread the philosophy and activities of Slow Food and connect with more people.” We created an event to celebrate the diversity of local food cultures and traditional flavors, providing participants with a valuable chance to gather around the table and deepen their connections.

 

Contents：

(1) Using slow food ingredients gathered from various regions of Okinawa, participants cooked together. This experience allowed everyone to appreciate Okinawa’s natural environment and food culture .

(2) Participants also tried making salt by boiling brine using the traditional Irihama-style salt production method. This activity provided an opportunity to rediscover the value of the traditional technique as one of the  local resources.

 

Ingredients Used：
Rice from Asai-san. Indigenous yam from Yonaguni, Yam from Akaishi (Ishigaki), Spanish mackerel jerky and Tuna jerky from Minami-Daito,  Millet from Hateruma, Taro and its stem from Kin. Ffumami (black peas) from Miyako, Indigenous turnip leaves, Sugarcane from Kouri island, Daikon radish leaves, Papaya, Island carrot, Purple sweet potato, Pork trotters, Salt from Yonaguni, e.t.c…

 

Overview：

Through the Terra Madre Day Dinner, many participants had the opportunity to taste ingredients for the first time, including those registered in the Ark of Taste. Additionally, we were able to explore candidate ingredients being considered for registration in the Ark of Taste, providing a valuable learning experiences.

Some of the ingredients were generously provided by local community members, reflectiong the spirit of Yuimaru(mutual support), and offering an opportunity to appreciate the value of sharing.

The event was attended by 14 participants, ranging in age from 2 to 84, showcasing the diversity of generations brought together by the theme of “eat.” It was a moment to truly experience the power of food to connect people across all generations and to once again appreciate the universal charm of Slow Food. 

By cooking together and sharing a meal, we felt that we were able to further strengthen the foundation for our future activities.

 

We would like to express our gratitude to all the participants and everyone who provided the venue and ingredients. We look forward to celebrating Terra Madre Day with you all again next year!