CUISINE AND CULTURE

Festival celebrates ethnic diversity

German beer, Greek saganaki and 1,000 years of Polish history are at Windsor’s fingertips during the annual Carrousel of Nations.

The Carrousel of Nations is an annual event when ethno-cultural communities open their doors and celebrate their heritage with the larger Windsor community. The event ran from Friday to Sunday at various locations across the city, and will open again June 23 to 25. The full schedule and village locations can be found at the Carrousel of Nation’s website.

Perogies and Polish history were front and centre at the Polish Village at 1275 Langlois Ave.

The Windsor Polish community celebrated their heritage with entertainment, cuisine and beer. Toronto’s Harnasie dancers were one of the many Polish dancers and singers to perform.

“Growing up in Canada, I think we were always taught that Canada’s a multicultural country,” said Jakub Plewa, a Harnasie dancer. “I guess I was raised to embrace my culture ... you go to these festivals and everybody brings a bit of their own culture, and everybody’s proud of their own culture.”

A proudly blended culture describes the heritage of Arleta Sziler, president of the Polish-Canadian Women’s Federation in Windsor and a Polish Village organizer.

“We are here to celebrate our Polish nationality,” she said. “But also, being Canadian is a proud thing. So we are proud Polish-Canadians.” Sziler was born in Poland. “I am proud to be Polish living in Canada, which is my second homeland, chosen by me,” she said.

“I left in the very distressful time when it was communist in Poland, and I came to Canada. Canada embraced me and I embraced Canada.”

But Sziler said she doesn’t forget where she’s from. Her daughter was born in Canada, but considers herself Polish-Canadian.

“We have a thousand-year culture and tradition in Poland,” Sziler said. “And here, in Canada’s, (a) new country — but we are all living here and we are proving that you can live in peace despite of different origin, different culture, different religion.”

The culinary offerings included perogies, cabbage rolls, sausage and Polish beer, which Sziler called the “hits of the summer.”

A few streets over at the Greek Village on 65 Ellis St. E, visitors celebrated 43 years of Greek involvement in the Carrousel of Nations.

People lined up to get gyro, souvlaki, saganaki (flaming cheese) and loukoumades (honey balls dusted with cinnamon).

“We’ve been part of the Carrousel of Nations from the inception,” said Panos Sechopoulos, president of the Greek Orthodox Community of Windsor. We’ve been very lucky to receive great support from the community in showing people our Greek culture and our Greek heritage.”

George Koukouvaos, a Greek Village co-ordinator, said food and pastries are made by the community.

“So you might not find the same one today that you found last week, because once that runs out, someone else’s home recipe comes in,” he said. “So it’s kind of unique that way.”

Visitors have told Koukouvaos that they wait all year for the dishes served at Greek Village. He said people will call ahead to place large orders, “which is awesome for a little festival in a parking lot. “It’s really turned into something special.”