“Memories of the Tongue: Writing on Food that Anchors Us”

– A Workshop with Nelden Djakababa Gericke

Saturday August 8, 2026

4-6pm

Which dishes have especially been caring for your soul’s memories, as you migrate to new homes and go about your days?

In this workshop, we will use reflective- and creative- handwriting, as a modality to explore our memories. Like cooking food, the act of writing invites us to involve our bodies into the act of expression, reflection, and also receiving and sharing. With several writing cycles, we will go through layers of memories that are taking the form of a dish of your choice. We will then voluntarily share the stories that come up in each of the cycles, introducing our dishes to each other.

Paper and pens will be provided at the workshop, but you are welcome to bring your own journal and favorite writing tools as well.

You are also welcome to bring your favorite comfort-snacks you’d like to share to the circle.

Please note:

This workshop is designed with the principles of psychological care and reflective writing in mind, among other influencing concepts. However, it should not be seen as a substitute for professional therapy, nor does it equate to the personalized care provided by a licensed therapist.

This event is part of the “Caring Histories: Asian Caregivers in Berlin (1950-present day)” project at Mental Health Arts Space. Funded by Berliner Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt.

Open to all, QTBIPOC to the front! Places limited. Register below!

Nelden Djakababa Gericke is a Berlin-based Indonesian-Filipina fiction writer, crafter, and trained-psychologist. Her practice focuses on stories, trauma, coping strategies, intergenerationality, ancestral connections, culture, and mental health.

With extensive experience in trauma-and-community-work in post-conflict and post-disaster situations in Indonesia, Nelden has an M.A. in Culture and Development Studies from the Catholic University of Leuven, and was a research fellow at Harvard Kennedy School.

Nowadays, she designs workshops with elements of (jewelry-)crafting, psychology, and writing, to recreate the communally caring effects of crafting and story-sharing. She contributes to Tempo Magazine Indonesia, and was part of the core editorial team for an edition of the online magazine Südostasien on “Koloniale Kontinuitäten.” Nelden is a recipient of the Literature Stipend for Writers Writing in Non-German Languages (2025), awarded by the Berliner Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt.

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