Roving Tea Plantation
“Tea met sugar, forming a power couple that altered the course of history”. Maria Godoy
The Roving Tea Plantation is a decolonising meditation on tea. Harnessing the incantation of the tea party, “fancy a cuppa?” and its revolutionary power to swing elections, start wars, and bring down colonies, this tea trail traverses the brewing arts and ceremony of Moreland’s historic and contemporary tea culture. Pedalling a tea chest brimming with tea plants along the art trail, I lay down roots at five gathering grounds to contest the banality of the beverage. Rovers enjoy the selected brews and an invited speaker discusses the significance of tea in their culture…
16 November 5:30-6:30pm, Parktopia, Baa bap bul garran morrandu (Bush Medicine)
Artist and bushtukka woman Cassie Leatham from the Taungurung / Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, spends her days foraging native edible and medicinal plants and teaching the ways of her people to keep traditional ways alive.
At this tea party Cassie will be sharing her knowledge of the healing properties of native plants and brewing some teas, including a wattleseed moccacino.
24 November 7:00-7:30pm, Merlynston Station, Beit e’Shai (House of Tea)
Artist and nutritionist Rasha Tayeh is interested in the space where art and health intersect, exploring the history, sociology and anthropology of food. At this tea party Rasha will be drawing on her knowledge of traditional Arabic medicine and herbalism and sharing stories and teas from her Palestinian heritage, including an Aynar Spice Infusion from her online apothecary and teahouse Beit e’Shai.
6 December, 9:30pm – 10:00pm, Fawkner Cemetery, Tropical Brews
Plant biologist Dr Tien Huynh carries out applied research into medicinal plants with a focus on plants from tropical Asia. Tien will be joining us via video link from her research trip to Vietnam to talk about the antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of a selection of teas and the importance of tea in Vietnamese culture while we brew and taste lemongrass and ginger concoctions.
8 December, 2pm – 3pm, Merlynston Progress Hall, High Femme Tea
Jane Tomlinson, president of the CWA Sydney branch, will be talking about how the Country Women’s Association has been advancing the rights and equity of women, families and communities in Australia through advocacy and empowerment since 1922. Jane will be explaining the central element of the humble cuppa in the radical work of the local branch as we sip some tea.
15 December, 11am – 12pm, Joe’s Market Garden, Growing your own
Joe’s Market Garden is Melbourne’s last surviving inner city market garden, having been farmed continuously by Chinese and Italian gardeners for over 150 years. This certified organic farm also doubles as a training space and during this final tea party we will be learning what it takes to grow tea.