However,beforewecanmoveforward,weneedto
acknowledgeandrecognisethepast.Anunderstanding
oftheculturalcontextis crucialfornon-Indigenous
peopleworkinginthisnativefoodspace.Nothingis
developedandcreatedina vacuum,andweneedto
addressthetokenismandculturalappropriationthat
hasbeenoccurringforyearsinthenativefoodspace
inourrestaurants.
BenShewry,chefandownerofMelbourne’s
fine-diningrestaurant,Attica,believesthisstems
fromAustraliansnotknowingtheirtruehistory.
“Toworkwiththesefoodsasa non-Indigenous
person,it is vitalthatI understandandcontinue
toeducatemyselfonthishistory.”
Firstandforemost,theinvadingofAustraliaand
thecollectivegriefstillfeltbyFirstNationspeople
whowerestrippedoftheirlandandgenerational
suppressionoftheirrightsandculture.Learning
aboutthishistoryhelpsyoutounderstandwhose
foodstheseareandwherewe’vetakenthemfrom.
“ThisenablesyoutoworkwiththeAboriginaland
TorresStraitIslandpeoplesina waythat’srespectful
andtrustworthy,”Shewrysays.
Forthefutureofnativefoodstosurvive,Shewry
seestheimportanceofcomingtotermswiththefact
thatwhenweeatthisfood– it comeswitha storyand
a culture.“Howluckyarewethatwehaveaccessto
thisdepthofknowledge– I’manexampleofsomeone
whoselifehasbeenchangedbythesenativefoods.”
ShewryconsidersDarkEmubyBrucePascoeessential
readingforallAustralians,andit wasthroughhis
timeOnCountrywithUncleBrucePascoethatthe
understandingofa culturalcontextaroundnative
Australianfoodsstartedtotakeshape.
Fiveyearsago,Shewrywasfishingintheriverwith
UncleBruce,andtherespectandreverencehehad
forthefishandthewaterwereunlikeanythinghe
hadseenorexperienced.Thenextday,theywentout
againtofindbimblas(alsoknownasbloodcockles)
whicharenotcommerciallyharvested,soShewryhad
little experience with them. After returning to therestaurant,hesoftlysteamedthemthewayyouusually
preparemusselsandcockles.ToShewry’shorror,the
bimblasvergedoninediblebothintextureandflavour
andtothisdayheshuddersat thethoughtofthe
experienceofeatingthem.Fast-forwardthreeyears
whenhewasOnCountryagainwithUncleNoel
Bulter,a BudawangElderfromtheYuinNationwho
preparedbimblasthetraditionalway,onhotcoals.
Cookeduntiltheywereblackandcharredonthe
outside,theyweresomeofthemostmagicalthings
Shewryhasevereaten.
It wasa humblingexperienceforsomeonewho
hasspenthislifecooking.“I hadnoideahowtocook
thesenativeplantsandfoodsofthecountryI have
beenlivinginsince2002,”saysShewry.Thisis why
culturalcontextis vitallyimportantwhenwetalk
aboutnativefoods,andShewryacknowledgesthatit’s
thereasonwhyAtticaexists.“Weallhavetoplayour
part,andwehavea roletoplayinreconciliation.”
Wecan’ttalkaboutfoodandespeciallynative
foodswithoutacknowledgingsocialissues.It’s
genuinelythesafespacethatlendsitselftobeingopen
tothesehard(butultimatelyrewarding)discussions.
Weneedtonormalisenotonlyeatingtheseplantsbut
havingtheconversationsaroundthem.Thisessence
ofland,cultureandhistoryis capturedwhensourcing
theseingredientsforanypurposewhetherthatbe
cooking,distilling,orbrewing.AcknowledgingFirst
Nationspeople’sconnectiontothelandandthe
reconciliationthatcancomefromthecollaboration.
We’vehadsucha longhistoryofdenyingthesefoods- andnowwecanusethemasa wayofcoming
together.Sullivanbelievesit’sthehealingpower
offood:“Foodhealsandis a safespaceforpeople - there’sa hugeopportunityforculturalhealing.
I always call it reconciliation on a plate.”●
“How luckyarewethatwehave
accesstothisdepthofknowledge- I’m someonewhoselifehasbeen
changed by these native foods.”
Kakadu plumMuntrie (ground)“Foodhealsandis a safeplaceforpeople
- there’sa hugeopportunityforcultural
healing. I call it reconciliation on a plate.”
GOURMET TRAVELLER 53