Aliwalu, I salute you
Yesterday my dear friend, Aliwalu, transitioned into the next realm following her battle with cancer. She was an inspiration to me and all those that knew her. I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you a taste of Aliwalu, a gastronomic artist extraordinaire.
Aliwalu has been an essential part of United Planet, following the 6 UP Games that she led the food experience for. She was there from the very beginning and we created a lot of magic together. She believed in me and in the mission of UP Games. She was a profound support. Aliwalu also led the gastronomic experience of Tatiana and my wedding just in October. She raised the bar in every way we relate to food and the process of nourishing our bodies. She was an artist as well as an alchemist. She lived by a mantra ‘Eat Clean, Be Free’.
Aliwalu lived her life up to the very end with a ‘Joie de vivre’ — a love of the beauty of life. Her verve and spirit was contagious. She was one of the most profoundly positive, optimistic and loving humans I’ve had the honour of knowing. She was wise beyond time with fantastic taste and discernment in all aspects of life. She was gifted in so many ways and a gift to many more. The way she faced her cancer and her mortality was deeply inspiring and reminded me of my own mother.
Aliwalu was an embodiment of the change we wish to see in our kitchens — An ambassador to the future of food and our relationship to it. She believed the kitchen should be the heart of our home. She brought her artistry to everything she touched in the kitchen to the dish. As she would call it — ‘From the Heart to the Table’. Much of the food she sourced for the UP Games and our wedding was still in the soil the day we ate it. Every ingredient was thoughtfully sourced, cared for and honoured. She led hundreds of Gaians (members of United Planet) through a sensational experience with our food — making love to our food whether it be a simple sea fennel, almond nut or red pepper. This is an example of one such experience:
Aliwalu founded Vital Kitchen in order to educate, inspire and lead the change she wished to see in the world. She taught us to:
- Reorganise our kitchens and in order for them to vibrate loudly.
- Choose the most vital basic ingredients.
- Know the basics so that your kitchen can be an energy factory, a high-frequency temple.
- Cooking adding health to our digestive system.
- The toning of the organs.
- Satisfy all the senses and especially the palate and the eyes.
Words cannot do justice to the loss of such a loved friend in our community. She led by example what it means to be a Gaian — living in harmony and honour with our natural world and the abundance of nourishment she provides us. I filmed many hours of content of Aliwalu doing what she did best — reconnecting us to ourselves by way of our food. Her lessons to me with stay with me for life.
I’d like to end this tribute with an interview we made with Aliwalu sharing some of her wisdom:
