The Great She elephants, A Story:

The Great She Elephants. Always close to heart, and looking up to them. ❤️

The name, inspired by my father, pays homage to the legacy of both my grandmothers and the role that food played in shaping and igniting my relationship with food. I think it is neat that the name was inspired by my father, a patriarch. It speaks to how non-females have a critical role to play in the empowerment of women and have the opportunity to be allies for the Great She Elephants of tomorrow!

My Daadee and Naana are both matriarchs of my families, and both practiced excellence with food.

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They carried a discipline with respect to their routine and their diligence with preparing the food. I remember being 7-8 years old and helping my grandmother sort rice grains in a large tin pan, and as a young kid this tin felt so big, and these tiny rice grains. And back then, what felt like a meticulous and tedious process was in fact an expression of excellence. From sorting the dirty grains or debris from the rice that we would later put in our bodies and eat, or with a level of excellence trim the ends of green beans or peeling an onion. Their practice was one that connected them with food in an excellent way. They didn’t just cook, they were present with the food. This is such an inspiration - I think this is even more evident at the moment with being at home, people are reconnecting with the art of food and cooking more because we are going back to the basics.

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Sharing food - they brought together families and community members to the table regardless of their differences or backgrounds. Food, for this reason, has been a focal point of my identity because it is a symbol of community and a bridge that enjoins humans everywhere. Especially coming from a very diverse background, food was a simple social glue and can be observed as such across the world. I think living in Canada is a great example of this. We experience culture in its diversity through food. It is a beautiful thing that my grandmothers deeply celebrated and is something that I look up to.

Why ‘The Great She Elephant’ for a name? :

There are a few reasons why this name stuck when choosing to reference my grandmothers. Firstly, I think there is so much to learn from natural systems and ecology - I see nature and natural systems as a teacher and there are so many embedded lessons therein. Secondly, elephants are awesome and magnificent, especially with respect to how they socially function and interact. And finally, and most importantly, my dad chose this title for my grandma (his mom) for the same reason; my grandmothers both, are the leaders in our family. Similarly to the elephant calves who follow in the steps of their grandmothers, I follow in the steps of my Daadee and Naana and share their legacy through food.

More about the name:

The elephant herd is led by the oldest and largest female cow known as the matriarch. She is usually the one who was the most closely related to the previous matriarch. She influences the herd more than any other group or individual.

“There is usually one leader, the matriarch, who is often the oldest female, with the rest of the herd being made up of her own offspring. Being the oldest, she has the experience and knowledge that will ensure the survival of the herd in times of hardship. She will take them to water and food beyond their usual range, and teach them how to protect themselves from danger.” (source)

My father assigned this title to his mother (my Daadee) back in the early 80’s when he noted the leadership role that his mother held in the family and the influence she had in her spheres. Looking into this title myself, I learned that it is linked to the matriarch leadership in Southern Africa (Swaziland). (here is what I discovered: source).

In 1986 Africa, king Mswati III, declared his mother to be the Indlovukazi (a title roughly corresponding to Queen Mother, literally translated as Great She-Elephant) and, as such, Joint Head of State. As Queen Mother, she is seen as the spiritual and national head of state, while her son is considered the administrative head of state.

Through the medium of food, my grandmas brought family together, shared love, and nourished their communities. As far as my memory extends back, I remember the deep rooted relationship to food that the female leaders of my family fostered and taught. I believe that through food, these women were empowered and energized. Through them, and through food, I have and continued to be empowered. Food is art, and has been such a key tool in my development and growth. This entire project, Mufeed Nutrition, is dedicated to their legacy.