TACC-Madison hosted a celebration for Noah’s Pudding Day (Aşure). We gave a presentation about Prophet Noah and Noah’s Pudding traditions in Turkey.

A Common Story: Noah’s Ark

Every year, on and after the 10th of Muharram, which is also called the day of “Ashura”, TACC-Madison volunteers prepare a dessert called Noah’s Pudding. This is a Middle Eastern, and more specifically a Turkish, tradition celebrating the landing of Noah’s Ark after the Great Flood, which has references in the Holy Books of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The story of Noah is told slightly differently in the three Holy Books but the basics are very similar.

Origin of Noah’s Pudding

According to one version of the traditional/anecdotal story, when Noah’s ark landed on a mountain, there was great joy. To celebrate the end of the flood and offer thanks to God, Noah gathered scraps of the foods and mixed them together, producing a delicious dish.  Today we call the meal they prepared “Noah’s Pudding”.

Similar dishes, similar traditions…

The making of this pudding is a common practice among Muslim people in the Middle East. In Turkey, it is customary to prepare this dessert, which is called “Ashure”. Christian communities throughout the Middle East prepare a similar sweet wheat dish.

Armenians also cook a meal very similar to ashura to celebrate their local festivity, Anoushabour-Christmas Pudding , ( ‘anoush’ means ‘sweet’ and ‘abour’ is ‘soup’)   which is also based on Noah’s legend. In the 40th day following a funeral; Orthodox Christians give away dry ashura, “koliva,” which is also prepared under different names in predominantly Orthodox countries such as Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. Also they serve it in Commemoration of saints.
The tradition still continues

The pudding prepared at home is shared with the neighbors. As tradition goes the residents of forty houses to your east, west, north and south are considered neighbors. One has the responsibility of maintaining good relations with their neighbors regardless of what their religion or beliefs may be. It is also a custom to prepare the pudding in large cauldrons and distribute it to the poor.

What is special about this pudding?

Made out of a strange set of ingredients, yet it’s delicious. Wheat, white beans, chick peas, almonds, dried apricots, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, clove, rose water, milk, sugar and water.

Noah’s Pudding symbolizes…

This unique dessert, which contains contrasting flavors, is not only delicious but also a perfect symbol of a harmonious society. The heterogeneous nature of Noah’s pudding also resonates the cultural diversity of the United States.

Ashura is the secret of making the scarce abundant; it is something done in collectivity and eaten together. It is the symbol of coexistence in both good and bad days, of rejuvenation, solidarity, being a human being, sharing and the joy of giving away. Ashura is the ability to ensure the coexistence of differences. It is the ability to view differences and diversities as richness. It is the ability to appreciate that people in the world are different, just like the ingredients in the dish. It is the symbol of coexistence in peace just like the ability of its ingredients to be together. It is the common cultural value of three divine religions (Islam, Christianity and Judaism). It is the core of alliance of civilizations.

This day is a symbol of sharing joy – the joy of the landing of the Noah’s Ark, and God’s bestowments to many other Messengers. Sharing Noah’s Pudding is a representation of the unity and essential relationship of humans to one another and to their Creator.

What does Noah’s Story and Noah’s Pudding reminds us?

Our guide: The belief in God and the belief in living together with harmony and peace
Our flood (disaster): Ignorance, global terror, clash of civilizations, wars, oppressions, high crime rates, famine, epidemics, poverty, ecological dangers, etc.
Our ark: To gather around the common values in search for solutions and consensus.

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