Tea originated in China, where it was first valued for its medicinal and spiritual qualities. Buddhist and Taoist monks drank tea to support meditation, drawn to its quiet strength and ability to sharpen attention. Over centuries, tea crossed borders and belief systems, eventually becoming one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, second only to water. Europe’s fascination with tea in the early modern period transformed it into a global commodity. As Russians, Dutch, and British traders competed for control, tea became entangled with imperial ambition. In the 1830s, the British Empire began cultivating tea in India, initially using imported Chinese plants in Assam. Through the East India Company, Britain monopolized the tea trade, converting Indian land and labor into profit. By 1888, more tea was imported to Britain from India than from China. Tea fueled trade routes, colonial violence, and resistance—from the American Revolution to the Opium Wars—quietly shaping global histories while appearing harmless and domestic. Yet tea is more than a colonial product. In South Asia, it became woven into everyday life. In Bangladesh and India, tea is shared in homes and roadside stalls, marking pauses in the day and moments of connection. These rituals have largely been shaped and sustained by women, who transformed tea time into a space for hospitality, storytelling, moral instruction, and care across generations. As tea traveled, it absorbed local knowledge and taste. Cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and sugar gave rise to masala chai and countless regional variations mint tea, chili tea, tamarind tea. In Bangladesh, tea shops become informal public forums where debate, grief, gossip, and laughter coexist. Tea calls people to stop, gather, and speak. This project takes the form of a public tea party performance. Drawing from the structure of British afternoon tea, I reconfigured it into an intimate, reflective gathering rooted in shared presence rather than hierarchy. I harvested and prepared the tea myself, grounding the work in labor, care, and intention. Serving tea becomes a performative act one that carries histories of colonialism, domestic labor, and resistance while opening space for dialogue. Through conversation over tea, participants reflect on what we consume, where it comes from, and the invisible hands and memories it contains. The tea party becomes a site of cultural memory and quiet transformation. Materials: Traditional Chinese teacups and saucers, antique teapot, handwoven tablecloths, wooden table and chairs, antique cabinet, eleven hand-harvested tea blends (traditional and experimental), Jamdani costume, wallpaper drawn with tea pigmen Read More