A Palestinian Feast.

Uss-Lee

I have lived a fortunate life, full of love, safety and always an abundance of delicious food on the table. You see, although I am privileged to have been born in Australia and consider myself Australian, my cultural heritage (Uss-Lee) is Palestinian; and it carries a history of loss and displacement. When I backpacked through Palestine in 1996, I realised for the first time how fortunate I was to be Australian. All the hardships of the generations before me brought me to this lucky country and I live a great life because of it.

Some background: my maternal grandparents were expelled from Jaffa during the 1948 Nakba, becoming refugees in Jordan, while my paternal grandparents lost most of their land in Beit Jala to the colonising population. My father arrived in Australia alone early in 1969; and my mother came with her family in 1971; each seeking a better life. They met in Sydney, married in 1972 and worked very hard to build a good life. My favourite childhood memories are of family parties where we would feast on fresh, delicious, palestinian food.

Considering my background, I would like to make a difference by fundraising for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC).

I’m doing this by hosting a Feast for Freedom, to provide people seeking asylum with access to the essential services they need to rebuild their lives in Australia. 

This is a meal that makes a difference and I’ll be inspired by the special recipes gifted by refugees that are taken from their own cultural traditions, and by my family. Every dollar I raise will go to the ASRC so they can provide essential food, housing, and health services to refugees and people seeking asylum.

Please make a donation to help me reach this goal.

Thank you.

Note: Painting by Rawan Anani