Kurdish Kebab Shop in Noto Provides Food Aid for Unexpected Reasons

‘Our country also had an earthquake last year, and they helped us out.’

More than two months have passed since the Noto Peninsula earthquake struck.

Many houses are still collapsed, and the scene is said to be the same as it was when the earthquake struck, but there are plans to fly the Blue Impulse, an acrobatic team of the Air Self-Defense Force, over the area because it is “one way to cheer up the victims” (Defense Minister Minoru Kihara).

Meanwhile, it was reported in the media in late February that Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture will discontinue the delivery of supplies to voluntary evacuation centers at the end of February. The devastation continues, as if there is no one person in Japan who can explain what the government and Ishikawa Prefecture want to do to the many victims and the general public in Japan in a way that makes sense now.

In the midst of all this, the following post became a hot topic on X (formerly Twitter).

I did a table-top service in Noto today. I’m happy to be there again. I’m going to volunteer in front of Noto City Hall tomorrow as a happy kebab. (Text in Japanese only).”

This was tweeted on February 24 by Tashi Tifiki, the Turkish-born owner of “Happy Kebab,” a kebab specialty restaurant in Saitama Prefecture.

The post received over 4,000 likes and many comments of appreciation, such as “It’s great,” ” thank you,” “Thank you,” “I bow to you,” and ” . Moreover, this was Tifiki’s second visit to Noto as a volunteer, having also gone to Noto in early January for a soup kitchen.

The “common sense” of the current disaster response is that the Diet members who were among the first to visit the disaster area and work hard as volunteers are beaten up with X’s by the Diet members and the general public who do nothing, and that the people in power who do nothing shout “don’t go” when the disaster victims report “there is not enough food” or “there are not enough people” from the disaster area. This has become the current “common sense” in dealing with earthquake disasters.

Why did Tzfiki and other kebab specialists from abroad go to Noto for the soup kitchen?

It’s not really something I want you to write about,” said Tifiki.

When we asked Mr. Tifiki for an interview, he refused, saying, “It’s not something I should bother to talk about,” and “It’s not something I would ask you to write about.

He said, “There is no particular reason why I went to Noto. Earthquakes happen everywhere, and it is natural for people everywhere to help each other when they are in trouble.

When our country had an earthquake last year, we were helped.

I think it is the most important thing for people to do what they can do. It’s not something that needs to be written about.”

When asked again about the situation when he went there in early January, he said …….

At first, the roads were very dangerous. So I was anxious, but there are people in need.

No matter how good the country is or how much money you have, it is difficult to connect immediately because (aid) comes in turn by turn.

We thought that it would be hard to provide food from various countries, but it was winter and cold, and it would be hard to provide frozen food and cup noodles, so we decided to provide fresh, warm food to those in need.

The first time, four of them went with Happy Kebab employees, and the second time, seven or eight of them went with the Kurdish Association and “Alas Kebab” to Noto for a cookout.

The cookout consisted mainly of chicken, which was grilled on site and served hot, lentil soup, Turkish rice fried in butter and olive oil, and pomegranate and cherry juice in small sizes, he said.

The menu is something we always serve at the restaurant, but we took care to make it even tastier than usual,” said Mr. Kurokawa, “and I’m glad you came all the way from Kawaguchi.

Some people said, ‘Thank you for coming all the way from Kawaguchi,’ and even if I didn’t say anything, they would give me a smile, so I knew they were happy, and that warmed my heart.

However, when he actually went to the disaster area and saw that there was a complete lack of manpower and food, he decided to go back to the area in February to help out with the soup kitchen.

When we went there, small supermarkets were open only until 3 p.m. and convenience stores were open only until 7 p.m., and the shelves were empty.

There were old ladies who couldn’t walk, and I could see that everyone was in real trouble and suffering.

Some people said, ‘Don’t go,’ but I think there are things we can do instead of complaining.”

Despite the fact that many people in the affected areas were happy to receive hot meals, Tifiki received some slanderous comments on her X. “Some people said, ‘Don’t go,'” she said.

“Some people said, ‘Don’t go,’ but I thought, ‘Why say that when there are so many people actually in need?

I think there are other things we can do instead of complaining. .

There was even a comment asking if I pay taxes, but I have a family too, and if you’re worried about taxes, just go to the tax office. I’m getting more and more pissed off.”

Still, Tifiki refused to give up and went to the second soup kitchen, saying, “There are good people and bad people everywhere.

I don’t really want to talk about money, but I brought millions of yen to two soup kitchens. But money is good. Money is always coming in as long as people are healthy.

When I went to bed, I had my house, my family, and food, and when I thought about what would happen if all of them suddenly disappeared, I became very scared.

I don’t think Japanese people realize how good this country is and how many things they can do.

I think what we did is just one dot that anyone could have done. But if people around here would try, instead of complaining, this country would be fixed in no time.

Besides, instead of writing an article like this, you should actually go (to the disaster area) and give a smiley face, you will get a smiley face back. There are people who complain about many things, but I will not give up and will continue to do it. Because I am doing something good.

It is painful to hear, but he is absolutely right.

When I happened to be in Kanazawa in early January, I heard that people in the Kanazawa tourism industry were in trouble, so I spent as much money as I could there, spread the word about Kanazawa on SNS, bought Noto products, and even donated a small amount.

I felt a little less guilty as a non-participant.

However, the important thing about donating and volunteering is to keep doing it. Because even now, two months later, life in the affected areas has not recovered at all, and the suffering continues.