Food at the End of the World, Part I
Ideas
We met our friends at food study group Bakudapan last year in Yogyakarta, and having found similarities in our research interests and trajectories, sought out a collaboration in the coming year, towards mapping out the food system in the local context. This led to us at TANAH going over in January, 2018, the time we spent in Yogyakarta culminating in a food salon session, Food at the End of the World, held 20 January, 2018 at Lifepatch headquarters.
The term “salon” was intended as a platform to meet parties and discuss ideas, thoughts, and insecurities. The salon sessions also has its roots in post — colonial Indonesian society, lecture — discussions in the 50s, by the Konfrontasi Study Club, formatted by Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana on the European model.
Process
The “Food Salon Session” was planned to be held two times; the first one focused on the possibilities of theory, and non-capitalism in relation to food issues in the capitalist system. In the second session we intended to put in place the new considerations provoked by the previous meeting. In sum, the discussion of food, art, and ecology was to be done through Theory and Praxis during the Food Salon sessions. Participants were asked to bring a short piece of literature (an excerpt from a book, stories, poems, articles) or an object (can be food), which can act as tools to trigger our discussion on food and its relation to social and political dimensions — ranging from issues of production to consumption.
Taking a leaf from Anna Tsing’s book (The Mushroom at The End of The World: On The Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins), we sought to explore issues around capitalism and exploitation in food, art, and ecology. What can we do and how may the boundaries of the non-capitalist and the capitalist world intertwine?
Experience
The salon itself saw plenty of robust discussions, and sharings by the participants. Elia and Tyas from Bakudapan facilitated the session, with inputs from the other members of Bakudapan and TANAH. In a span of 4 hours, we looked at the histories of wheat imports in Indonesia, how entrance of the Green Revolution marked a turning point in agricultural processes in the local context. Members from the Ekoliterasi group expounded on issues facing farmers today, relating to GMOs, the disappearance of indigenous crops and heirloom rice varietals, and the shrinking of land allotments today. There were also mentions and general observations relating to post — ’65 marking a turning point in the distribution of agricultural resources, shifting the ways in which Indonesians related to food.
The group went through a session together with Bu Ita, to unpack our salon discussions, looking at policies, legislations, drivers, and actors relating to the following areas of food, labour, agriculture and land. Following which, we did a mind - mapping session looking at power dynamics amongst actors in the food system, across the global — regional — national strata.
Thoughts
As a group, we wrapped up this initial phase with a preliminary look at the relations between international actors within the food system, in relation to Indonesia. Casting our sights further, we are working towards refining this map, before releasing an open — source version online for the public to share and add their inputs. Herein, maps are tools for working through narratives and interconnecting issues within the food system, and a collaborative means to which piecemeal solutions can be built upon. The issues within the Indonesian context are complex and intertwined — the group hopes plan their steps for the next phase of mapping and clarifying issues in the system, in the year ahead. Looking forward!
Writeup for Food and the end of the World
Mari bergabung bersama kami dalam diskusi tentang pangan, seni dan ekologi dalam acara “Food Salon Session”, di mana nantinya kita akan membahas antara teori dan praktek yang berkembang dalan wacana seputar itu. Peserta diharapkan membawa cuplikan dari literatur (dari buku, puisi, artikel) atau juga benda (bisa makanan) sebagai pemantik, yang bisa menceritakan persoalan pangan dengan dimensi sosial dan politiknya yang lebih luas lagi. Mulai dari persoalan produksi hingga konsumsinya.
Meminjam istilah “The End of the World” dari buku Anna Tsing berjudul : “Mushroom and The End of The World”, kami tertarik melihat dan menelusuri persoalan kapitalisme dan eksploitasi yang berada dalam wacana pangan, seni dan ekologi. Lebih jauh apa yang mungkin kita lakukan dan sejauh mana batas-batas antara yang non-kapitalis dan kapitalis saling bertautan?
Kami menggunakan istilah “salon” sebagai wadah untuk saling bertemu dan membicarakan ide, pemikiran dan kegelisahan (dalam hal ini untuk membicarakan persoalan pangan). “Food Salon Session” akan diadakan dua kali; yang pertama akan membahas lebih banyak pada teori dan bentuk non-kapitalis dalam dunia pangan yang paling memungkinkan diantara sistem kapitalis yang sudah bekerja. Sedangkan sesi kedua lebih menyasar pada bentuk terapan dan praktik-praktik atas apa yang dibahas pada sesi pertama.
Join us for a discussion of food, art, and ecology through Theory and Praxis during the Food Salon sessions. Bring a short piece of literature (an excerpt from a book, stories, poems, articles) or an object (can be food), which can act as tools to trigger our discussion on food and its relation to social and political dimensions — ranging from issues of production to consumption.
Taking a leaf from Anna Tsing’s book (The Mushroom at The End of The World: On The Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins), we try to sense and explore issues around capitalism and exploitation in food, art, and ecology. What can we do and how may the boundaries of the non-capitalist and the capitalist world intertwine?
We are using the term “salon” as a platform to meet and discuss ideas, thoughts, and insecurities (related to food issues). “Food Salon Session” will be held two times; the first one will focus on the possibilities of theory, and non-capitalism in relation to food issues in the capitalist system. In the second session we will put to practice new considerations provoked by the previous meeting.
