Lowe was a town that Elle had grown to cherish gradually, to the point where she couldn’t imagine a life outside it. She loved it so much and hoped to establish a family in this rural haven. One of the traditions that she really loved was the Siti Festival, an annual event held in the fall, just days before Christmas.
The Siti Festival was a culinary celebration of the bountiful harvest and fresh produce from the year. Some of the produce included wheat, rice, vegetables, turnips, maize, and more. The festival usually started at the beginning of the week and the whole community came alive as the produce was gathered in the town centre. It was a time when everyone – boys, girls, adults danced joyfully through the streets, marking the occasion with plenty to eat and drink. What made the festival remarkable was its power to unify the town’s residents through food. The people came together to feast, and homes in the town were filled with the enticing aromas of various dishes.
Drums and melodies filled the air, as the villagers danced into the city centre. Bursting with joy, they presented different foods, both raw and freshly prepared. The wheat, transformed into flour, was used to make bread, and this was a timeless reminder of the sustenance and unity that bound them as a community. Cherries also take their place, a reminder and the anticipation of .the happiness that the new year would usher in. It also represented the sweetness of life and a promise of the joys to come. A colourful array of vegetables, from turnips to cabbage to carrots and others, they symbolized a year blessed with abundance and prosperity. Lastly, peppers were also brough, signifying the spirit of excitement and spiciness in life. In the face of life’s unexpected twists and turns, these peppers remind the villagers that challenges only come to add spiciness to their lives.
For Elle, the festival was not merely a celebration of food; it was a tribute to community, tradition, and a cherished way of life. It represented the town’s ability to honour its heritage, embrace the land, and find joy in life’s simple pleasures. She looked forward to this annual celebration with anticipation, for It was a reminder of what truly mattered in life – people.