African Cuisine Explored At 2024 Foodways Symposium

Akoth Ambugo, keynote speaker,
harvesting Dek, an indigenous Kenyan
vegetable. Photo credit: Owen Taylor of
Truelove Seeds

The public is invited to a free culinary and performing arts experience showcasing African cuisine and culture on April 5 and 6 in downtown Kalamazoo, thanks to Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

The Kalamazoo Valley Foodways Symposium, the college's annual celebration of the history and heritage of food systems, focuses on "African Heritage Foodways" this year. All are welcome to attend.

Festivities open with Kenyan land steward Akoth Ambugo delivering a keynote address, "Healing Soils and Souls," on Friday, April 5, from 7 - 8 p.m., at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, with Nigerian fusion food served afterward. Ambugo will share how community, food, spirituality and the search for health have made her return to the source of earthly foundations - soil. After almost 20 years of living in England and the U.S., she returned to her homeland of Kenya to live out her dream of establishing a food forest for her community. She is learning to keep seeds, grow nutritious food and feed the soil through reviving traditional farming practices and knowledge. A seed swap will be held one hour before her presentation.

The Foodways Symposium will culminate with a day of culinary exploration and musical performances from the African continent on Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, located at 418 E. Walnut St. in downtown Kalamazoo. It features Ghanian peanut stew, a Jollof rice from Burkina Faso, a pumpkin stew from Liberia, a traditional breakfast of Uji from Kenya and so much more.

A celebration is only complete with music, so Rootead Youth Drum and Dance Ensemble will conclude the day with an interactive performance of West African dance. Presentations, youth activities, a community organization showcase, tours of the building and a brewery open house, along with free beer samples, will be available throughout the day. Lunch will be available for purchase at the Havermill Café.

Visit kalamazoofoodways.org to view the full schedule and register for cooking classes.

The Foodways Symposium provides historical, cultural and practical insights into Southwest Michigan's food and food systems, and serves as a yearly convening point for students, practitioners and the community to ensure our local food system remains strong and vibrant.

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum and the Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building are operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College.