Food Heritage Writing Contest for Students

The Mama Sita Foundation has announced that it’s annual “Mga Kuwentong Pagkain” (MKP) will be aimed at college students with its Eskwela Edition.

With the theme, “Regional Food Heritage,” the contest hopes to tap young storytellers to learn about and explore their food culture, from their grandparents’ recipes to regional ingredients that define their favorite dishes.

The contest is open to all interested Filipino undergraduate students or exchange students enrolled in a Philippine college or university. Students can submit their food stories in essay or video format. The deadline for submission is Jan. 19.

The Mama Sita Foundation organized MKP to increase awareness of Philippine food heritage. Over the years, MKP has gathered many food stories from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, as well as from Filipinos in different sectors—students, workers, young professionals, retirees, and even Filipinos living abroad.

It is hoped that the Eskwela Edition will inspire budding storytellers not only to eat, but also to understand and appreciate the food culture that is their heritage. In researching and presenting their story (which can be about heirloom foods, culinary traditions, cooking methods, food norms, rituals or beliefs related to food, or local food etiquette), students help create materials that promote these culinary treasures.

Through the contests’s Eskwela Edition, the Mama Sita’s Foundation wants to inspire the younger generation to become involved in preserving their culinary heritage, and to do their part in chronicling the flavors of the Philippine Islands—from the safety of their homes.

Visit mamasitas.com/join-mga-kuwentong-pagkain

Article was originally published on Philippine Daily Inquirer