Celebrate Keti Koti with a free portion of Heri Heri (including from RIJKS!)
To properly celebrate the abolition of slavery—Keti Koti—despite COVID-19, 4,000 (!) free portions of Heri Heri will be available for collection at various locations in Amsterdam on 1 July.
Anyone who has ever been to the Keti Koti Festival knows that you can eat exceptionally well there. After all, food is an important part of history and belongs at a celebration. Sadly, due to COVID-19, the annual festival in Amsterdam’s Oosterpark cannot go ahead, but that does not mean people cannot eat and commemorate “together.” Especially in these turbulent times full of protests and change, that sense of solidarity and remembering the past is incredibly important.
What is Heri Heri?
That is why cultural collective KIP Republic is organizing an alternative: the largest Heri Heri table. Never heard of Heri Heri? Oh boy, you’re in for a treat! Cassava, sweet potato, banana, fish and egg, all on one plate. It is hard to find better soul food. So delicious. And the dish has quite a history behind it. The literal meaning of this one-pot dish is “heal heal”; it was food for enslaved people on the plantations, and today it is a delicacy.
By preparing and distributing Heri Heri at 9 different locations in Amsterdam, people can still eat and commemorate together—from a distance. A wonderful initiative, right?
Famous chefs
And the Heri Heri is being made by some of the very best. None other than TV chef Sharon de Miranda, Heri Heri expert and chef Judith Cyrus, and Joris Bijdendijk will ensure that the dish gets a personal twist at every location.
For most locations, reservations are not necessary and you can stop by between 17:00 and 20:00 to collect a portion. Only at RIJKS are reservations mandatory, and the meal can be collected between 15:00 and 17:00. There are 500 meals available per location, and naturally, the coronavirus measures have been taken into account at every location. The food is free, but you can make a voluntary donation when collecting your meal. The proceeds will benefit organizations committed to Keti Koti 2021.
For all chefs and locations, visit gekooktegeschiedenis.nl.
Hero image: Coco Olakunle on the left, Brian Elstak on the right
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