AIISF is a member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (“the Coalition”). With over 300 members in 65 countries, the Coalition builds the capacity of these vital institutions through grants, networking, training, transitional justice mechanisms and advocacy. In October of 2019, representatives from 17 museums and related organizations, working across a combined 13 nations on 6 continents, met in Antwerp, Belgium. The daylong meeting focused on the guiding question “How can museums take collective action to combat the global rise of xenophobia?” The result of this meeting was the creation of the Migration Museums Network which AIISF is also proud to be a member of. The exhibits in this gallery highlight the importance and impact of food to immigrant communities around the world as shared by some of our partners in the Migration Museums Network.

 

More Than Marination

 
 

Food For Thought

 
 

Hinrich and Inge Carstensen

Hinrich and Inge visiting the German Emigration Center in 2012. Courtesy of the German Emigration Center.

Hinrich and Inge visiting the German Emigration Center in 2012. Courtesy of the German Emigration Center.

 

BMO Oral History Gallery

Narinder describes his family's multicultural meals. Narinder Dhir, arrived from India, 1969.

Frank talks about trying Canadian sliced bread for the first time and how he could not eat it because it was so sweet and buttery.

Quitterie, who loves soup, recounts her initial experiences with soups she purchased in Canada.

 

Robert describes his large family gatherings where food plays a central role.

Alan explains the blended cuisine in his family. He enjoys cooking traditional Kenyan foods, while his German wife often makes pretzels and dumplings.

Jo talks about finding alternative ingredients for Indian cooking because of the lack of Indian spices available at grocery stores in the 1960s.

AIISF's Tastes of Home, curated by Russell Nauman, Operations Manager and Edward Tepporn, Executive Director, 2020.

"A Day in the Life of Marination" and "More Than Marination" courtesy of The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, Seattle, WA, 2020.
"Food for Thought: World Refugee Day 2020," courtesy of the Migration Museum, History Trust of South Australia and Australian Refugee Association, 2020.
"The Story of Hinrich and Inge Carstensen," courtesy of Deutsches Auswandererhaus (German Emigration Center) and Hinrich and Inge Cartensen, 2020.
"BMO Oral History Gallery," courtesy of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, 2020.