October 2020 – Mystical Vegan

As part of trying to reduce my waste, I have been compelled to try and make my own versions of the food I buy. I have not yet mastered hummus, nor bought the activated yeast I need for bread, but I did come across this recipe on a Facebook post on the #waronwaste page. They are ‘accidentally vegan’, but I put vegan in the title just to let my fellow herbivores know!

I won’t bore you with the whole story of my experience, as I know most of you have skipped right past this to the recipe at the bottom (just like I do!), but here are a few tips:

When it says ‘cook… for 1 minute each side‘, do it. I cooked mine on a lower heat for a longer period of time as I was also making the San Choy Bow to go along with the tortillas (mixing cultures is apparently something I do when I cook) and they turned quite hard after cooling. We ended up having San Choy Bow Tortilla Tacos! The few I did when the filling had been cooked kept their malleable nature and were easier to fold. So, STICK TO THE 1 MINUTE COOKING TIME!
Serve them hot, or warm at least. I think the other thing that contributed to them being quite hard and crispy was the fact that they were not reheated when served. I am not sure and will try doing it this way next time, but let me know what happens in the comments below for you!

Now, for the recipe:

Homemade Vegan Tortilla Recipe

Prep Time: 35 – 40 minutes
Serves: 3 – 4 Adults, makes 8 small-medium tortillas,

Ingredients:

2 cups of plain flour (all purpose)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons of olive oil

Directions:

Combine salt and flour in a large mixing bowl, sifting if necessary, then stir in water and oil. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 – 12 minutes, adding water and flour when necessary to make a smooth dough.
Rest dough for about 10 minutes.
Cut dough into 8 equal portions and roll out into roughly 15 cm circles.
Cook on medium heat in a lightly greased pan for 1 minute each side.
Serve warm

There you have it! It is really quite easy and takes only about 30 -35 minutes to make. I know for some, time is a privilege, but they do really taste very good and they are better for you than the store bought ones because they are free of preservatives, sugar and any other ‘nasty’ stuff.

I have recently been drawn to learn more about Feminism. I call myself a feminist, yet my knowledge about the movement is limited to a few short events in Australian History – the changes to the welfare system of the 1920s and 1930s, the equal pay issues of the 1970s and the marriage act.

I have decided to broaden my knowledge of the subject and have purchased a few books and listening to feminist podcasts as a way to also increase my vocabulary on the subject. I have also found that I am often at a loss for how to put what I am thinking into words, feeling rather than knowing my point, if that even makes sense. It has been interesting how much my vocabulary has changed in these few short months.

What I wasn’t expecting was the change to my own form of feminism and self-view that has come about from reading Reni Eddo-Lodge’s book Why I’m no longer talking to White People about Race. I had purchased this book with the intention of ‘doing the work’ and learning more about the experiences of people of colour in the wake of recent events in the US. Sure, I knew about what life was like for Aboriginals in Australia, yet my knowledge was limited to events during the early years after invasion, Government policy, Charles Perkins and the Freedom Rides and some modern statistics that I feel are already a decade old. I was looking to find more, and I certainly did.

I was not prepared to be so confronted with my own inherent ideas about feminism. I consider myself an anti-racism activist/advocate (I’m not sure on the correct term here) and often have to explain to a lot of people in my life why saying certain things is not ok, debunking the myths and describing what I know about the history of racism in Australia. So, to be confronted with my own inherent racist views in relation to Feminism was quite a shock to my system.

It turns out I have never actively considered the situation for women of colour in Australia, or any other country for that matter. Sure, I have heard the stories about what happens in the Middle East and Africa, but these are different countries and there is little, if anything, I can do except spread awareness that these things still happen and try to explain why they shouldn’t. But women in Australia who are also Aboriginal? I am horrified to say that it never occurred to me that their experiences of life would be any different to mine.

This isn’t actually accurate, I guess I knew that their life as a woman of colour would be different, I just never consciously made the link to the increased difficulties they face.

The other thing that shocked me was my own discomfort while reading the chapter entitled ‘What is White Privilege’. While I knew on an intellectual level the truth of White Privilege, I have never actually explored what it means for me. I have been so caught up in my own battle to extricate myself from the Patriarchy I had not even considered that it might be easier for me to do so just because of my skin colour and genetic history as largely Western European.

I found myself trying to distance myself from the idea by thinking ‘but you’re also a woman, so you’re disadvantage is just as bad in a different way’, or something to this effect. Actually admitting that I experience privilege was difficult, but I had to face it. This was what I was reading this book for, right?

So, I dug deep and realised that I have never been harassed by police, followed in a store by the retail assistant, had to wait until everyone else had left the store to be served, told to leave an establishment or had my life threatened because of my skin colour.

The very absence of these events in my life IS white privilege. The fact that I don’t fear that these events will happen is the very thing Eddo-Lodge (and probably many others I haven’t heard from yet) is talking about when they refer to white privilege.

I know this doesn’t make me an inherently ‘bad person’, but it does highlight to me that I am lacking in ‘open-mindedness’ contrary to my own beliefs. It also indicates that there might be just as much of an issue in Australia with intersectionality as Eddo-Lodge describes is happening in UK.

At this stage, I have no idea what to do with this information, except to me aware of my own limitations in experience and knowledge and seek out answers where I can. It might be enough right now to be aware of my short-comings and to allow myself the time and opportunity to educate myself. The time will come when I will have to act, but for now I am sitting with my own discomfort and seeing what healing can be done.

This has been a humbling experience and I highly recommend the book for anyone looking to educate themselves more on these issues. I agree with the sentiments of women of colour all over the world – it is up to us to educate ourselves regarding racism and intersectionality and stop putting the ‘burden of proof’ on those who experience racism and sexism on a daily basis.

If we really care and want to make a change, we would take more responsibility to learn more and be better people.