I’ve been on a handful of walking tours in my life in multiple countries. Getting my feet on the ground and following the literal footsteps of local experts is a great way to learn.
When signing up for the “Black History Tour & Tasting” in February, I expected a typical walk around the Kitsilano area. What we experienced, on top of that, was a full family-style meal.
Hosted by Kor Kase from Afro Van Connect, the Museum of Vancouver, and the Maritime Museum, this experience started with a walking tour on the museum grounds centred around Black food gardens which grow cultural foods and help educate the public on Black food history in the region.
We were then led into a fully decked-out room at the Maritime Museum, tables set and ready! Over a couple hours we enjoyed a multi-course meal. The chefs (from Elbo Jamaican Patties and Kiss Yo Mama by Lisa Brown) told us stories of their families while they shared their food, which was made with immense love.
We sat across from other attendees and chatted like a normal Sunday dinner. We found things in common right away that we wouldn’t have discovered on a normal walking tour where people don’t chat. One person had worked at my workplace for 30 years and recently retired. Another worked at another college, and we chatted about shared concerns around post-secondary funding. Another was a young woman from Georgia, USA, and the food on the plate was very familiar to her.
Kor did an incredible job bringing people together to learn in an open-minded environment, and I left with a light heart and a full stomach. It really broke the mold of a usual museum/walking tour experience for me.
I went with my friend Alexandra, and on our walk home we found ourselves talking about our own personal experiences with food and how it connects to family. It also provided professional inspiration for our careers in community planning.
Kor mentioned during the tour that the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts are due for demolition. This was news to me, as I spent a couple years after the pandemic out of the country, so I missed the news that they were supposed to be demolished already.
I was already researching the new St. Paul’s hospital for a Land Development course assignment, and it quickly snowballed into a broad presentation which ponders how the hospital, viaducts, and Hogan’s Alley are connected. I recorded it here:
This is why I love signing up for tours and exhibits – you never know what will happen, and it’s usually richer than you’d expect. Thank you to the team who organized this amazing tasting.
marina miller 