After Supper Conversation about the Holodomor

Food, as we all know, is an essential part of the human experience.  We enjoy meals as a family, celebrate milestones while feasting, and entertain the palate with variety in color, taste and texture.  Some even go as far as celebrating "molecular gastronomy" (or experimental cuisine), as I discovered on a recent trip to France. Teasing the imagination with visual information that leads the palate to expect one thing, then to surprise the taster with something altogether different - it is an experiment you should try!  Imagine something that looks like gravy, but is set, cold and cuts with a knife!  And an after dinner drink in what looks like a heavy old fashioned glass, that is actually layer upon layer of interesting textures, set solid, upon a solid cookie base!  Well, it is hard to explain, but truly we are so fortunate to have enough food - we actually play with food. With "molecular gastronomy", chefs play with the social context, the technical processes, and artistic presentations!  And it seems all the cooking shows on television dabble in this type of cuisine.

Such was not the case during the Holodomor of 1932-33.  Just 80 years ago the ancestral lands of Ukrainians were terrorized by the intentional manipulation of food supply, carried out by the "rulers" of the day.  As early as 1943 Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer of Polish-Jewish descent had already coined an identifying term, genocide, to describe a political tool, the intentional, purposeful, planned destruction of a people. It does, essentially, describe what Ukrainians suffered - in the millions.   

The Holodomor (conquering through starvation) is the topic of Dr. Roman Serbyn's presentation to the Ukrainian Professional and Business Association of Calgary at their Dinner program on Thursday, November 22, 2012 at the Danish Canadian Club, Valhalla Hall, 727 - 11th Avenue SW. 

For tickets please contact:

UKRAINIAN CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF CALGARY

P.O. BОХ 6474, Station 'D', Calgary AB T2P 2E1

Office: 403-670-5477

e-mail: admin@ucpbacalgary.org
www.ucpbacalgary.ca

And for more information about the Holodomor, please check

http://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/op-ed/lemkin-holodomor-classic-genocide-53243.html, and http://www.holodomorsurvivors.ca/About%20Raphae%20Lemkin.html.