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“Growing up Sri Lankan-Australian was a confusing experience,” says former Time Out Melbourne food and drink editor Rushani Epa. “I loved my culture and cuisine behind closed doors, but going to school with a Thermos filled with curry and rice in tow would often see me greeted with sneers. I’d be bullied and called a ‘curry muncher’ and other racial slurs.”
Epa’s experience certainly doesn’t exist in a vacuum; many Australians have memories of being ridiculed growing up for eating something outside the “norm” of two slices of white bread.
“I think growing up with that experience as a kid really shapes the person you become, and I know that’s a common occurrence for People of Colour,” says Epa. “You go from having your food othered to having it appropriated or appreciated as you grow older. It’s really jarring.”
During 2020's lockdowns while many were learning new skills or navigating their Netflix queue, Epa was funneling her creative energy into Colournary. Colournary Magazine celebrates and amplifies the voices of First Nations, Black and People of Colour through stories about food and culture.
“I was looking around the world, namely countries like the US and the UK, that already had publications that exist of this nature. But I was really surprised that there were none that exist in Australia, or none that I could find at least, that really champion First Nations, Black and People of Colour.”
Since its inception in July 2020, the site has been posting recipes as well as stories from writers about their culinary history and experience with food. Epa wrote about the story of the not-for-profit Sikh Volunteers, who handed out 78,000 free meals throughout lockdown. Egyptian cook and writer Eman Aldeeb wrote about celebrating Eid al-Adha growing up, and then there were recipes by Shop Bao Ngọc’s Ngọc Trần, Indigenous culinary consultant and chef Sam May and even Epa’s mum, or amma.
Epa has long made it her ambition to champion diversity in food and food media. “The conversations are changing, the language is changing, this entire sphere is changing,” says Epa. “It’s been a huge moment for cultural diversity, especially in food. So with that conversation changing, it’s important that we change with it.”
“There’s no surprise that there’s a lack of representation of [First Nations, Black and People of Colour] in food media. I found it a bit tricky to try and find writers, so I did have to do a bit of digging and whatnot. I looked at writers on existing publications and reached out to them. I also put a call out on social media, and I also approached creatives that I’d like to feature. One of the things I’d like to increase is the amount of First Nations representation in the magazine and more First Nations writers to come forward if they can.”
Epa had the idea to create a physical magazine back in March. “I’m the type of person who goes, ‘I’m going to do it,’ and just does it. Nothing can stop me.”
Colournary’s first print magazine is themed around Country. According to Epa, “Country has a different meaning to everyone, and this was proven in the varying pitches that we received.” In the issue, you’ll find a tribute to the humble rice cooker, an explainer on how milk tea has united Asian voices, and a chat with Mabu Mabu’s Nornie Bero about native ingredients. After a sell-out first run, the issue has been restocked and is available to order via Colournary’s website.
“Putting us at the forefront, putting us on the leadership team, it really changes the dialogue as opposed to what might be in other food-related publications where there is a lack of diversity. You really see how the language changes, how the topics change and how respectful it is," says Epa. "Also just the ability to hand the mic back to the people and really let them write their own stories, or tell their stories in the truest form. That’s really big as well, and it’s really resonated with people.”
“At the end of the day, I want Colournary to be an educational tool, but I also want it to be a safe space for people. I’d love for readers to take a piece of knowledge away from someone’s culture or learn to be a bit more respectful about something. They can read stories and feel part of a community. I want it to be approachable and accessible, as well. I don’t want people to feel intimidated by it. It should feel like a little community.”
Update 02/2022: Colournary's second print issue, 'water', is out now and can be ordered online. Follow along on Colournary’s journey via the website and on Instagram.
