Every time I step foot into my home, I am greeted by the sweet flavourful aroma of food being cooked by my family members. Each ingredient is carefully prepared in a way that fits the Haitian palette, each seasoning crafted by using the very same tool that can be seen in almost every Haitian household. That tool is known as a spice crusher, also known as “Pilon Epis” in my culture. It is a medium sized wooden-bowl with a small hammer-like tool to crush spices like black pepper, or even mush garlic into a small paste. It is also used to blend multiple spices together, adding a unique taste to the food.

   I picked this item as an artifact because it is something I’ve seen my whole life growing up and it is something that was also relevant in the households of my parents back when they were my age. This connects to immigration because it shows how my family brought  their traditional customs into the U.S. from Haiti. Instead of using modern food blenders, my parents decided to stick to their traditional way to blend it by hand with a wooden tool.

  From this object, someone could learn that food is a significant part of my Haitian culture and that we can use many different techniques when it comes to cooking, there is no need to conform to societal standards. Everyone has their own unique story, which is what makes New York so special. The diversity within each person creates a stronger bond between us all. 

– DV

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant