The island is buzzing with Norni Barrow.
Stretching between the northern tip of Australia and Papua New Guinea lies the Torres Strait, a sparkling stretch of water where the Pacific and Indian Oceans meet. This remarkable strait consists of 133 islands, 38 of which are inhabited by communities that have maintained their distinct cultural and culinary identity for generations.
At his Melbourne restaurant, And that and of course, with his show , and cultural ambassadors is on a mission to showcase the unique fingerprint of the region’s cuisine. He is passionate about dispelling a common misconception: Traditions are all one.
“I think there’s a misconception that we don’t have food — but we do,” Barrow explains. “ Our islands have blood. Our whole culture revolves around how we hunt and gather for food, and it’s in our storytelling, and it’s in who we are.”
Nornie Barrow’s Mabu Mabu Cookbook has lots of local Australian recipes you can try at home. Source: Supply
Having grown up on several different Torres Strait islands and speaking the local languages, Barrow was able to experience “the different styles of cooking on different islands, and what produce you can get from different islands”.
And the most interesting thing about food, according to him? It is highly localized, even varying between different islands.
This distinction of cuisine is not just between mainland Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander, but each island has a tapestry of ingredients based on their landscape and wildlife.
“Floral profiles will always change from where you’re in the tropics… every state in Australia has different flavours,” says Barrow. “Similarly, we can’t get prawns on the Murray [island]But we can do it on Musk. [island]So different places give you different things.
“Some of these islands don’t have reefs, so they give you something different. You get different flavors from different islands, as well as different languages and beliefs.”
Our food culture is the lifeblood of our islands.
Of course, the main point of difference in island food is, as it says on the tin – it’s tropical.
“We’ve got this tropical island vibe… we’ve got things like wild lemongrass, we’ve got our own chillies, we’ve got different fruits from the mainland… it’s very special, you only get it in the Torres Strait,” says Barrow. can,” says Barrow.
Even the seafood is different. Where the local cuisine of the mainland consists of lobster and yabbies, the Straits has painted crayfish and crayfish.
Some other distinguishing features of Torres Strait cuisine include extreme seasonality and sustainability.
Torres Strait Island cuisines follow their seasons.
The seasons are observed according to the traditional calendar, which varies between islands. These guide what produce is available, and also the times when fishing and gathering are appropriate.
“If you go down to Torres Strait, every island has a calendar wheel that you can see. It’s designed as a calendar wheel for that island’s season, and parts of it are different on each island. are – what you can get in windy weather, rainy season”.
Australia has inherited four seasons from Western Europe, but she points out that this does not necessarily apply in this geography. “Each of our states, and even the Torres Strait, has a different climate,” Barrow explains.
“Windy season is what we call ‘sajar,’ and it’s when the wind is blowing, so there are certain things you can and can’t get during those times. “.
At his restaurant Big Esso – a colloquial term for ‘biggest thanks’ – the menu includes a section for seasonal foods – during koki (windy, rainy season), you’ll find ‘chard pineapple, Bam Bam wild rice, mantri, saltbush’ can be found. Salsa Verde’; During the noor (harvest season) these can be dishes like ‘Kokum (hibiscus) pickled pears, sea russets, oyster leaves, fermented sun lime, macadamia dukkah’.
Sustainability has always been a way of life.
Seasons are also reflected in the sustainable mindset of sourcing indigenous ingredients in the region: “These seasons don’t just mean it brings food, it means regeneration – it means the fish don’t die.” Time to catch up.” This doesn’t mean always take what you want, respect the time for regeneration – “you have to give them time to grow, to be there for the rest of our lives”.
“When I think back to myself growing up in Torres Strait, I never realized that we were living so sustainably, because we only took what we needed to feed our family. “We keep it fresh every day,” she continues. Barrow says sustainability This culture is still there, and it applies to both ingredients and consumption.
“We take the coconut to a different level, it becomes coconut oil, it becomes shredded coconut, coconut cream, coconut milk — and then, when it’s grown, there’s coconut flour. “We eat jelly, every stage of the coconut means something. To us, we don’t waste anything.”
Torres Strait Islanders, Barrow explains, have been sustaining themselves steadily for generations. “We have an abundance of things that still exist”.
Food is flexible and always ready.
Barrow says Torres Strait culture is resilient – isolation and lack of colonization strengthened their cuisine.
“We didn’t have much to offer the colonists, which is a blessing in disguise… we’ve been able to keep this culture alive because of that.” And despite modern external influences and changes, she says Torres Strait Islander culture remains strong, passed down from generation to generation.
“Our children still learn the language. Our children still learn the fables and fables… wherever we go… we are still teaching our youth the same fables and fables as we grew up, the same language and songs and through dance.”
Tempura saltbush and wild green chimichurri Credit: Jeon Kim
Torres Strait Islander cuisine is also evolving, with chefs such as Norney Barrow taking traditional dishes to new levels. , or .
“Every culture evolves, and we’ve evolved with our food.”
Barrow says, she wants to put Torres Strait Islander food on the table like other multicultural Australian cuisines. “Even though we may be a little slow to get to the table, we’re going to make a big impact.”
