The Tabak

Mondo and Zahara

From Sudan (Left Sudan in 2014 then moved to Jordan and arrived in Canada May 2019)

Mondo and Zahara left the instability in Sudan back in 2014, like many refugees they have had to resettle in different places before finding a place that is welcoming, safe and feels like home. Mondo’s father owned cattle’s and was a farmer, and for some time that’s what Mondo did to take care of himself, his wife Zahara and his family. Later on he started selling and trading gold that he would get from the mines, but it wasn’t safe selling the valuable metal. “To deal with gold you need safety, but there is no safety” Mondo tells. In a trying time at a point where their country was no longer safe, they packed up and left in hopes for a better life.

Mondo and Zahara packed with them a Tabak, a beautiful basket used to cover and store food. The Tabak is used for a popular Sudanese meal called Aseeda.

“The Tabak reminds us of our Sudanese heritage, our traditions with food, our whole lives back in Sudan. This is Sudan, you cannot find it anywhere, even when we lived in Jordan we did not see it anywhere”- Zahara

“It’s important to us and we brought it because we can make traditional meals anywhere and we can celebrate Sudan no matter where we are. The Tabak keeps the temperature of the food for a long time if it’s closed properly. When food is prepared in it, it gives it a special flavour, a taste of Sudan. This will help us in Canada, we can merge two cultures- Sudanese food in Canada! Now what we hope for is to continue our education. I would like to get my masters in law and improve our English language skills. We didn’t feel safe in Sudan, Jordan didn’t feel safe and all we want is to feel safe. Maybe start a family, we just want to be productive members of Canadian society”- Mondo

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