In his stand-up special, 'Son of Patricia, Trevor Noah has a bit about immigrant food. He says, "I feel like there should be a rule in America that says, you can hate immigrants all you want. But if you do, you don't get to eat their food." He isn't just talking about cuisines that make up the eclectic food culture in the US but even ingredients - spices, in particular, which is also something that was taken from other countries. As Indians, we know a thing or two about that. The premise of his joke explores themes of colonization but it also unearths a shared history and solidarity cultures share, through their food.
Evoking the same, 'Rotating Histories: Chutneys, Bread, and the Taste of Resilience' by Two Odd' is a curated gastronomic experience that celebrates the cultural identity and connection between countries that have a history of oppression. The communal dining table features an array of chutneys and dips from different parts of the world centred around a rotating bread machine.
"The rotating bread represents the cyclical nature of history—how generations of oppressed communities have faced suppression, adapted, and continued to resist. Bread, a universal staple in cultures worldwide, transforms here into a a metaphor for shared struggles. Whether it's naan, pita, or other flatbreads, the bread links diverse traditions and serves as a connector across cultures with histories of colonisation, displacement, and cultural erasure," reads the installation note.
Two Odd, run by Akshita Garun and Sabah Sheikh is known for its story-driven editorial content that initiates a dialogue on social and cultural narratives. Their recurring series known as The Identity Potluck exploring multicultural heritage is also centred around food and uses it as an insight into hybrid cultural identities and their representation. Now with 'Rotating Histories' they draw parallels between nations and the power systems they're subjected to, how their culture is affected in the process and how its communities retain their identity through resistance.
Food is a powerful medium. Like Trevor Noah surmised, even a force as pervasive as bigotry can be checked when you take away the flavours. On the other hand, it can also be a vehicle for compassion and solidarity, like Rotating Histories is aiming to establish. As if to say, Palestine isn't too different from India. What's happening there can happen here as well. Even with all the online protests, due to the censorship of genocide, twisted narratives, and sometimes even the sheer indifference can make us feel like it has nothing to do with us. Two odd's installation wants us to understand that it does. Against fascism and cultural erasure our stories of adaptation, survival and defiance are all the same.
The event is taking place on October 26 and 27 at Warehouse 46 in Dubai. Follow Two Odd here to know more.
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