AMALA DAY IN BIRMINGHAM: A TASTE OF HERITAGE, A CELEBRATION OF IDENTITY

“We didn’t just eat. We remembered. We connected. We celebrated who we are.”

In the heart of Birmingham, Midlands UK, the aroma of gbegiri, ewedu, and perfectly rounded amala filled the air. The occasion? None other than the much-anticipated Amala Day—a celebration of Yoruba culinary heritage, cultural pride, and community bonding.

It wasn’t just a food event. It was a cultural revival. A day where generations—young and old—gathered to honour a meal that has fed not just bodies, but the Yoruba spirit for centuries.

⸻

🔥 AMALA: MORE THAN A MEAL

Amala is more than just yam flour in hot water. It is memory. It is identity. It is a symbol of the warmth of Yoruba kitchens, the strength of our mothers’ hands, and the joy of shared meals after long days.

At the Birmingham celebration, the plates were full, but so were the hearts. As steaming bowls of amala, ewedu, gbegiri, and assorted meats were served, the crowd rejoiced—not just in flavour, but in legacy.

⸻

🎶 CULTURE ON DISPLAY

While the food delighted the tongue, the soul was nourished with music, dance, and laughter.

Highlights of Amala Day included:

               •             Live traditional Yoruba music and drumming

               •             Cultural fashion showcase in Ankara and Aso-Oke

               •             Cooking competitions and taste tests

               •             Storytelling sessions about Yoruba food history

               •             A family-friendly atmosphere where children learned the importance of food in culture

It was a day where elders blessed, youths danced, and ancestors smiled.

⸻

🌍 BRINGING HOME TO THE DIASPORA

For many Yoruba descendants living abroad, events like Amala Day provide more than nostalgia—they offer connection, belonging, and pride.

Hosted in Birmingham, this Amala Day proved that Yorubas in the diaspora are not disconnected—we are re-rooted. Through food, we remember who we are and pass it on to those coming behind us.

⸻

🛡️ CULTURE PRESERVED, UNITY PROMOTED

Amala Day was organised not only to celebrate Yoruba cuisine but to preserve the essence of community, to educate the younger generation, and to honour the richness of Yoruba heritage.

Under the cultural leadership of Kabiyesi Oba Adetayo Adenuga – Ayegbami I of the Midlands UK, the event reaffirmed that the Yoruba crown does not just carry beads—it carries the responsibility to feed, uplift, and unite.

⸻

📜 LONG LIVE OUR HERITAGE

As the last plates were cleared and the drums slowed their beat, one thing became clear:

“A people who honour their food, honour their roots.”

Amala Day 2025 was more than a meal—it was a movement.

Amala to the world.

Culture to the future.

ASA WA L’AGBARA – Our Culture is Our Power.