Every country has its own food. That is clear to see in NYC, where a five minute walk through Times Square can lead you to such delicacies as sushi from Japan, Korean BBQ, or Bitoque and Tapas from South America. Bringing foods from our indigenous countries allow us to grasp onto the culture left behind as we moved into a foreign land. My family came from the tiny Caribbean island of Trinidad, when my mother decided that she wanted to have children who could live out the American dream. So my family moved away from their native land. When we moved into our first apartment, we owned almost nothing. We slept on a mattress on the floor for the first couple nights, until we got a bed. Despite these circumstances, we found that our food was a means of keeping our family unified. Some of the few items we brought from Trinidad was an old rolling pin, a hot stone, and some old pots and pans. Despite, having become better established in America, we to this day still use these instruments. The rolling pin resonates with me especially, as it is used to make roti. Roti is a dish that accompanies many Caribbean meals, usually served alongside curry. Over the years, we make traditional Trini dishes less, but that rolling pin is always out of the drawer. It stays out as a reminder of the culture left behind, but still ingrained within her. A simple reminder of all the meals she cooked in her homeland, and all the times it brought our family together to share a meal in her new home. 

– Simmeon Chanka

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