Illustration of Sago festival in Sentani, Jayapura – Jubi
Jayapura, Jubi – Catholic Church through Timika diocese, Papua, invites people to love local food. The call was delivered during the commemoration of the world food day October 16 2017.
“The movement to love local food is the movement of loving food that has lived the ancestors,” said Bishop Timika, Mgr. John Philip Saklil, Pr, to Jubi, Monday (October 16).
Bishop Saklil questioned the indigenous Papuans, especially Catholics in his area who liked the food of others and spent money buying food that was not a local product.
“We are poor because we depend on the results of their village, and when we sell our village we have no more local food, “said Saklil added.
He said he was concerned that Papuan people are increasingly dependent on food from outside. In addition to love local food, he also reminded that the people of Papua do not sell the land to be used into oil palm plantations.
“All Papuan, please love your own food. Meaning you love your village,” he said.
The exclamation of the movement to love local food was set by a bazaar of 1001 different local foods while commemorating the world food day. The food products vary from sago, taro, petatas (sweet potatoes) and cassava are exhibited in Gelael Timika field.
Head of SMP YPPK Epouto, Paniai, Timika diocese, Esau Tekege, said the movement to love local food as a form of restoring the glory of field workers (farmers).
“Because consumption of food products will restore the glory of field workers,” said Esau.
Esau also urged people to control what they eat when many children are still malnourished. He referred to Pope Francis’ statement a few years ago that mentioning who threw food was robbed of the poor.
“It is better if we are able to set aside food for our sisters, our malnourished children can be helped,” he said. (*)
