Join us for a talk with Khir Johari as he explores the Malay community’s relationship with their natural landscape through food. Malay cuisine is not just about consumption. It is shaped by conscious methods of acquiring and managing ecological resources, which is reflected through a set of cultural practices such as foraging, medicine, and packaging. This includes the ability to identify which animal, vegetable or mineral has medical efficacy and health benefits, or potential detrimental effects. Such knowledge extends to the domain of practical use, especially in wrapping and storing food and other edible products.
Indeed, there are dishes that rely on vegetable wrappings as an essential component of their creation, as these help impart flavour, colour and aroma in addition to holding their contents together. Such a food culture reflects an intimate understanding of the local environment. ‘Belongings & Bounty’ hopes to inspire a rediscovery of an indigenous knowledge tradition, tied closely to food preparation and enjoyment.
About the speaker
Khir Johari, Author of The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels through the Archipelago
Khir Johari is a collector and an independent researcher on the history and culture of Nusantara. His book ‘The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through the Archipelago’ was published to critical and commercial acclaim. Khir obtained a BSc in Mathematics from Santa Clara University and a Masters in Education from Stanford University.
About the moderator
Faris Joraimi, Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow, National Library of Singapore; Alumnus (Class of 2021), Yale-NUS College
Faris Joraimi is a researcher whose interests span the narrative traditions, material culture, and port-cities of the Malay world. An essayist, his meditations on culture and public history in Singapore have appeared in various print and electronic media at home and abroad. Faris is also co-editor of Raffles Renounced: Towards a Merdeka History (Ethos Books: 2021), a volume of essays on colonialism and historiography in Singapore.
Watch the full session here:
