Light Project 2022 - Ossetian Pies

Описание: Light Project 2022 SD 480p

This is my light project for English Enriched 2022. It is a documentary-interview-recipe blog style video.




Artist Statement:

For my Light Project, I knew I wanted to do something related to my family. My heritage is very important to me, as convoluted as it is. The webs of intersecting cultures that make up who I am is most visible through the outlet of food.

I cannot remember a time where I did not simply love food. My family has a plethora of stories about my meal-time antics as a child– never about me refusing to eat my broccoli, but about my ability to be willing to eat anything, or at the very least try it once. Although unable to recall these exact memories, the warmth of them stayed within me. My Babcia’s kopitki i kurchak, my mother’s Christmas borsh, my father’s nalesniki, my Babushka’s baklava… all these meals and more held a place of value and honour in my heart. My heart craved the food as much as, if not more than my body.

So imagine my body’s surprise when I stopped eating. When my mind decided I could go a little longer without hearty meals and delicious pastries. Not healthy at all… I avoided the food of my family, traded it in for the assurance of a “healthy body”. Unfortunately, not a healthy mind.

I struggled not only with self image, but identity. I often brushed aside my heritage when asked, “it’s complicated” simplifying the mosaic of my family history. The mockery of my names – how unpronounceable they are! – led me to let it slide, despite the resentment I felt to those who would not even deign to give effort to an attempt at respect. I felt as though I was being chipped away, little by little. It seemed like I was destined for the legendary death of a thousand papercuts.

Thankfully, a familiar light shined through my darkness. For despite all the warring emotions within me, I still sat down for dinner with my family. It was a holiday of sorts, and the table was lined with an assortment of traditional meals from central to eastern Europe.

Traditions strengthened through hundreds of years, despite war, genocide, families torn apart and communities destroyed– I was sitting at the culmination of it all. How else could we respect those who came before us? What better way to be immortalized than in a recipe to bring a community, a family, together?

And thus, my light project.

I chose to pay tribute to my Grandmother, my Babushka, and all that she has provided for our family. I consulted with her to decide upon which dish to make and record a story of, and we chose Asitinskiyi Pirogi– or Ossentian Pies. This dish is ubiquitous within and around the Ossetia region borders, found at the table at nearly every holiday or get-together. The customary pies bring people together for all reasons, from celebration to mourning.

Spending more time with my Grandmother through cooking centers myself. It is at my Grandmother’s side where I can feel the multigenerational connection, the links to my family history– not forgotten. Making traditional meals and bringing people together is my light when I feel lost. For how can I be lost if I am surrounded by family?

I hope you enjoy my project.

PS. Although this video does not include it, I do indeed have the recipe. I omitted all the details to shorten the video. (sorry Ms Cross, i know it’s still double the length it should be… no hard feelings if we can’t show it in class)