When Noah’s Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat in Turkey, Noah’s family celebrated with a special dish according to Abrahamic faiths and traditions.
Sharing Noah’s pudding has become a symbolic representation of the unity and essential relationship between people and the creator.
About 50 people, Christians and Muslims, met at St Peter’s Cathedral Hall on Saturday 21 August to mark the ocasion, hosted by The Rev’d Peter Jin, assistant Priest at St Peter’s Cathedral.
The Theme of the event Building Peace, Social Harmony and Unity. At the end of the event Noah’s Pudding was shared.
The event was introduced by Dr Mehmet Aslan, McYESS (Multicultural Youth Education Support Services) Community Engagement Manager.
The keynote speaker was Dr Angela Evans AM, of St Peter’s Cathedral, who spoke of her experiences helping people with club feet in Bangladesh. She spoke of the power of fellowship – in her case through an impromptu soccer match with children she met in a remote rice paddy – to enhance co-operation, unity and understanding.
The Rev’d Dr Paul Goh, Uniting Church, Synod of South Australia spoke of the Christian message of Noah while Mr Nuru Deen Suraju, School Chaplain, Pinnacle College, gave insights into the Koran’s teachings of Noah and the Ark.
Noah’s Pudding, a porridge made of grains and fruit, is traditionally served in the Balkans and Turkey during the month of Muharram, in which the Day of Ashure takes place. The dish is often called “ashure”.
It is traditionally made in large quantities to commemorate the ark’s landing and is distributed to friends, relatives, neighbours – by tradition those living within 40 houses from you, according to Dr Mehmet.
It is seen as an offering of peace and love.
