Talk : Devil's Curry

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Project Statement : Several days after my birth, my mother received a letter from the Eurasian Association of Penang, Malaysia. It congratulated her and informed her that due to my father's French heritage, I was to be considered an "A-class" Serani, seeing as my blood had a higher percentage of European ancestry, that I was superior to most other Malaysian-Eurasians. I was made aware of this shortly after a close friend was denied a position in the association due to their father’s Indian heritage. In recent years, there has been tension within the Penang Eurasian community. One that centers on the definitions of the Serani identity, and who can be truly referred to as such. As a people who proudly regard themselves as multiracial, when does an individual of mixed heritage become too diverse to be included in the community? Who has the right to define these identities, and on what basis?

Devil's Curry is a dish that is almost synonymous with Serani culture. It is a staple in many households, each with slight variations and alterations to the recipe. As with many food-centric cultures, debates form over whose is more authentic and whose is considered "the best". These debates over the authenticity and composition of the dishes mirrored my research in finding what can only be described as a "pure" Serani.

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