Couscous a la Joke

Couscous à la Joke - a project by Jasmijn Simons and Annejet Hasselaar

What happens when integration works the other way around?

When it comes to cultural diversity in Rotterdam, the quarter called ‘Oude Noorden’ eminently seems the place to be. Migration, integration and multiculturalism come together in this vibrant part of the city sometimes causing friction but also leading to wonderful collaborations and events. An example of this is the local community centre ‘De Mozaïek’. Two times a week Resto VanHarte is organised here where people can have a meal that is just as diverse as the neighbourhood’s population. However, we found it striking that the great majority of visitors is typically Dutch. This is quite in contrast with the kitchen team where integration seems to be completed. How can a meal prepared by a team so multicultural be eaten by a group being quite narrow-minded?

Fascinated by the different lifestyles of the kitchen team one of the volunteers, named Joke, did not caught our attention immediately. Born and raised in Rotterdam she appeared similar to the average visitor of Resto VanHarte. Continuing our research, we began to wonder if we had judged too quickly. When we got to know her story, we realised she might be doing something extraordinary. Joke might seem to be typically Dutch at first, but in fact her whole lifestyle is inspired by the Moroccan culture which started during a former relationship with a Moroccan man. Although this relationship did not last, she continued discovering all the aspects of the culture. Not only does she prepare all kinds of Moroccan dishes in the traditional way, but she also converted to Islam. Why would a woman born and raised Dutch, without any religious background, choose to do so?

While participating in her kitchen, we got more and more answers to this question. With each meal we cooked, we realised how much the standards of the Moroccan lifestyle meet Joke’s quest for happiness. Characterizing factors such as hospitality and solidarity were lacking in the environment she grew up in and she was longing for because of this. Taking one step at a time she naturally integrates into the Moroccan culture. Remarkable though is how she combines both cultures in her own way; à la Joke. Nostalgia, memories and Dutch customs are interwoven in the way she prepares Moroccan cuisine. Her recipe for integration changes the way we look at it. We visualised how a born and bred Rotterdam woman cooks her way into the Moroccan culture.