GASD71
GLOBAL ASIA STUDIES
Rajeswary Premakumar
Growing up in Sri Lanka
1960's - 1990: Karaveddi
Rajeswary Premakumar grew up as the middle child among two other siblings. Her father worked as a police officer and her mother tended to the household. She had learned to cook at the age of sixteen and her younger sister was taught to cook at that age as well, though both of them would help out in the kitchen when necessary prior to. For breakfast her family would have [see menu 2].
Favourite Memory
Making and eating Puttu with Shrimp Fry in Sri Lanka. She recalls shrimp as big as her palm and has yet to taste anything better
Languages
1991 - 1992: Big Move to Canada
Like Kamala, Rajeswary moved to Canada to start a new life with her husband. They would go out to a Sri Lankan restaurant named Cancy (Canadian-Ceylon), originally located at Kennedy and Eglinton, to eat authentic Sri Lankan meals. Although Cancy does not exist today it was an important part of connecting new immigrants to their lives back home and easing the transition into a new country. It was during her time with her husband that she started expanding her boundaries by eating different types of foods, pizza had become a new favourite.
1992 - 1994: Life with Kids
Shortly after her move to Canada she had three daughters and it was evident that motherhood truly does change people. As first generation Canadians her daughters ate a variety of modern foods which included take out and fast-food at times. Her cooking started to incorporate both traditional foods and more “Westernized” foods such as noodles. She would learn to make these foods by mimicking what she would have at restaurants.
Present Day
Although Rajeswary has lived in Canada for over a decade she continues to keep her culture alive through cooking and ensures that traditional meals are served to her family daily.
Move to Canada
Present Day
Tamil
English
A picture of Rajeswary and her Husband as newly weds.
Source: ©RP