This personal narrative is penned by Isma Ishtiaq, a resident of Delta, British Columbia. For additional details on CBC’s First Person features, refer to the FAQ section.
One cherished memory from my childhood revolves around family dinners, where we would gather on a small beige mat, legs crossed. The setting sun would cast a warm, amber hue through the curtains as we indulged in delightful Pakistani cuisine. Our spread often included fragrant biryani with saffron accents or creamy butter chicken paired with homemade naan. Seated in a circle, we would pass dishes around, sharing stories and recounting the highlights of our day. This tradition, passed down by my father from his upbringing in Lahore, transcended time and space to find a place in our lives in the serene suburbs of north Delta, British Columbia.
According to my father, these dinners were not merely about eating together but about the humility and gratitude that came from sitting on the ground as a united family. As I sat on the simple woven mat, I realized it symbolized the ties binding us as a family and the celebration of our heritage across generations.
As time passed, my siblings and I grew busier with work, school, and sports, making it challenging to continue this tradition. Over a decade went by without us gathering on that familiar beige mat.
It wasn’t until Thanksgiving when I was 23 that the reminiscence of our traditional family dinners resurfaced. I invited my friends, from diverse cultural backgrounds, to join my family for Thanksgiving and introduced them to our ground-sitting tradition. Intrigued, they eagerly embraced the idea.
Digging through storage, I found the worn-out beige mat, which I laid out in the living room. We formed our circle, placing Thanksgiving turkey-laden plates before us.
That evening marked a beautiful moment as my father, eating at the dining table, smiled and joined us on the floor. Explaining the tradition to my friends, he bridged our heritage with Canadian customs, observed with curiosity by the other parents at the table. Most of my friends cherished the experience, with one drawing parallels to a campfire gathering!
This moment merged my heritage’s traditions with Canadian
