When she came home from high school, Sarina Men's home would surround her with the aroma of familiar cuisine. Not just any type of food awaited her, but the food of her Cambodian heritage. “In the evening, I came home to my roots,” says Sarina. “It was nice, you know, after being surrounded in American culture, to come home to be embraced by aspects of my heritage.”
Now a junior at UMD, Sarina doesn’t get to eat her mother’s cooking as much, so she is looking forward to the upcoming Asian Food Festival, which showcases dishes from all around Asia. Featuring Central Asian samosas to Korean gimbap, the event will be held April 20, 4-7 pm in the Kirby Student Center Ballroom.
The group that sponsors the festival is APAA, the Asian Pacific American Association. Many Asian countries are represented, from Korea, to the Philippines, to countries in Southeast Asia.
Dozens of people look forward to the event every year, and Sarina gets excited because she and other students bring traditional food that is important to them. It's a special time because she gets to eat her favorite dish, Bahn Mi. "It’s a simple sandwich, yet it is spicy and flavorful," says Sarina. First comes the flaky baguette. Then mayonnaise is topped with chicken or pork, pickled vegetables, cilantro leaves, and jalapeño slices
The 2018 festival includes not only food, but also games from various parts of Asia provided by campus and community associations. Students contribute to the food festival by crafting a special menu and by organizing engaging games from different Asian countries for the guests to enjoy. Sarina says they can be icebreakers. “These games are a good way to engage people in the festival more.”
Keeping Tradition
Sarina believes a food festival, specifically, is important to represent one’s heritage. "It breaks down barriers,” she says. It also honors Asian culture because it’s “basically a montage of Asia” through traditional foods.
“Events like these bring culture awareness to the general public,” says Sarina. “And, it's a good way to promote APAA.”
“It’s a good way to keep culture and heritage alive,” Sarina says.
Celebrating Diversity
The Asian Food Festival is only one of many culture events held at UMD. Others include Soul Food Dinner, Feast of Nations, Africa Night, and Fiesta.
Other events are held during Asian Heritage Month. This year they included guest speakers Atsuko Okatsuka and Vivian Abuni, as well as a film showing of Gook, an open mic night, bubble tea sales, a Hmong Odyssey reenactment, and a “She’s the First 5k” fundraiser. An Asian Heritage Night wrapped up the line-up.