Srinagar- A unique collaboration between the University at Buffalo (UB) and renowned Kashmiri poet Zareef Ahmad Zareef is shining a spotlight on Haak, an essential indigenous green vegetable with a rich history in the region.
Despite its cultural significance and potential health benefits, haak faces stiff competition from readily available processed foods entering the region. Preliminary data has suggested a worrying trend: younger generations consume haak less frequently than their elders. To address this, the UB Food Lab and Zareef Ahmad Zareef are launching a public education campaign with a creative twist – poetry.
Interestingly Zareef, a celebrated writer and environmentalist with a large following, has composed “Haake Naame” (An Ode to Haak). Written and recited in Kashmiri, the poem celebrates the historical and cultural importance of haak, drawing attention to its value beyond just sustenance. The video of the poem, with English subtitles, is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/AgG3ZVezq54.
Samina Raja, a member of the UB Food Lab team, expressed her gratitude to Zareef, stating, “His unmatched creativity and understanding of Kashmiri foodways will reach Kashmiris in a way that scientific papers cannot. Art and science must work together to promote health and food equity.”
“Indigenous foods, like haak, nourish, protect, and sustain communities. My lab is honored to partner with notable Kashmiri poet Zareef Ahmad Zareef sb in a campaign to draw attention to haak,” Raja posted on Instagram.
According to the University Of Buffalo, food systems are increasingly recognized for their impact on public health. However, the importance of indigenous and community-based food systems often goes unnoticed.
Researchers at UB’s Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab (UB Food Lab) are collaborating with Sher-i-Kashmir Agricultural University of Science and Technology (SKUAST-Kashmir) to document, preserve, and strengthen these local food traditions.
Early studies by SKUAST-K suggest that haak may offer health benefits due to its high content of antioxidants and vitamins. Led by Khalid Masoodi, SKUAST-Kashmir’s research team has conducted preliminary in-vitro studies suggesting that haak may offer protective health benefits. The vegetable contains polyphenols, carotenoids, glucosinolates, and vitamins C and E, all of which are known for their antioxidant properties. These findings highlight haak’s potential role in enhancing public health.
Additionally, the UB Food Lab team, including Samina Raja and Alex Judelsohn, documented haak’s role as a “nutritional safety net” during times of conflict in Kashmir
This collaborative effort, employing both scientific research and artistic expression, aims to ensure haak doesn’t become a forgotten chapter in Kashmir’s rich culinary story, but rather thrives as a cornerstone of a healthy and sustainable future for the region.
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