By Gloria DULAN-Wilson
Hello All!
Today, June 18th, marks the 88th Birthday Anniversary of my favorite uncle, Adolf Dulan - He made his transition to the realm of the Ancestor/Angels in May of 2017. He was not only my favorite uncle, he was my Mentor, Friend, and standard by which I viewed other men.
Below is the salute I wrote for him on his 77th Birthday Anniversary. Interestingly enough, June 18th is also the birthday of my Maternal Grandfather, Enoch Gaines - my Mom's Dad - another personal hero of mine. So I'm saluting and commemorating these two wonderful/FINE BLACK MEN!
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| Adolf A DULAN - King of Soul Food |
Gloria Dulan-Wilson Blog/ ECLECTICALLY BLACK NEWS
For Eclectic Black People
VIP: Views . Interests . Perspectives
6.18.2011
HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE ADOLF - WE LOVE YOU
By Gloria DULAN-Wilson
This is personal: I am sending a special
birthday greeting to my favorite uncle, and favorite person on the
planet - outside my Mom, Dad, Brother,Sisters, Man, God & my kids -
My uncle Adolf Dulan - my Dad's
baby brother, who has the distinction of being the stalwart patriarch of
the family, is celebrating his 77th birthday today, June 18, 2011, in
Los Angeles, California. I want to salute him. So join me in doing so.
When
I say they don't make them like him any more, I'm not exaggerating.
He's a fine Black man - not just playboy, pretty boy fine - he's that
kind of fine that just mellows and gets better looking with age. He's
articulate, intelligent, educated, principled, and a gentleman -
definitely a lady's man - in that he knows how to treat a lady like a
lady, and respect her as a woman at the same time.
He's managed
to be successful on so many levels - in his business - he owns Dulan's
Soul Food Kitchen in Los Angeles - which started out as Hamburger City,
evolved into Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch (now owned by my cousins - Tiffany
and Danielle Dulan); he's raised 5 kids, and taught them each positive
work ethics, the value of family and the importance of keeping your
word.
He's got jokes - a great sense of humor; and great taste
in clothes, friends, and his lady - he always manages to be involved
with someone who is intelligent, articulate, stylish and an asset (Dorothy, you rock!)
My
Uncle Adolf, son of Zady and Silas Dulan, brother of Warner Hale Dulan
(my Dad), Alene Dulan (Talton) and Zethel Dulan (Thomas) were all raised
on Oklahoma Soil in a shack on the prairie - for real!! No
electricity, no gas,no plumbing - basically a sod house that my
grandparents built themselves - with an outhouse, no less, in a little
town called Luther, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma, which means land of the red people,
has soil that is as red as our Indian heritage, and as richly Black as
the African heritage, and the mixed bloodlines that course through our
veins.
My granddaddy was a stickler for education, and we are
all the same way. He put all his kids, as well as his brothers and
sisters through college - Langston University, in Oklahoma.
When
Adolf relocated to California after the Korean War, to put down roots,
he became a social worker, and worked for years in the community trying
to help others have a better life. When he decided to go into business
for himself, he took a big dose of his own medicine - his own advice -
and began to look for ways to develop an autonomous business that others
would resonate to. He never stopped learning, exploring, inquiring,
trying new things. Though the beginning was initially rather rocky -
with some hit or miss efforts - when he evolved into Aunt Kizzy's he
found he had a hit on his hands. Those cabins you see on the walls at
Aunt Kizzy's and Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen are real - my Uncle literally
went from rags to riches, using his ingenuity, talent, and the
foundation laid by my Grandaddy Silas.
Soul food (comfort
foods) that appealed to African Americans, as well as to the broader
population, was based on old family recipes that had been shared down
through our collective families; it was such a hit, that he began to be
mentioned on such television shows of the day as Arsenio Hall and
others.
Not one to rest on his laurels, when he decided to go
the way of just soul food to go, Dulan's was born - just 7 years ago -
when most people would be hanging up their hats and putting themselves
out to pasture - not my uncle.
Adolf is better than the energizer bunny - he has taken that energy and ingenuity to a whole 'nutha levul.'
I
recently told my daughter that if there was a way to clone him I would
do it - just so young ladies her age could experience what it is like to
be treated with respect, dignity, and have fun doing it - but, I
observed, if they were able to clone Adolf, the rest of the guys her age
would never stand a chance. They'd either have to step up their game
or step off.
Never a 4-letter word, a b-word, a n-word from
his mouth. Always a smile; always a compliment; always that great sense
of humor. Always listening, and reflecting back to you so that you
know you're communicating and comprehending.
The kids call my generation "old school", while we call Adolf's generation "real school".
Make
no mistake about it, though, he's no pushover - he is from Oklahoma -
and we don't play. The school of life he comes from is a combination of
the Code of the West; the nobility of the Indian Nations (Creek); and
the "gentility" of of the South. (Notice I put "gentility in quotes -
the South was anything but genteel).
Black Indians (whites had
another name for us) are a totally different breed of cat - we used to
say, he laughs, and he jokes, but he don't play.
Does it sound
like I'm bragging about my uncle - of course I am - and who better than
me - the first born niece!! Proud of him - proud he's my uncle - he's
stood with and by the family in good and bad times, and we have stood by
him. Our tribe is tight!
And my admiration for him doesn't
stop with me. He's loved by so many in the greater Los Angeles area.
But he's never lost his down home touch. And that's part of his charm.
Elegance, style - with just a touch of humility. Not only will he feed
you some of the finest Southern Soul cuisine west of the Mississippi
(T-Bone Steak, catfish, swai fish, collard greens, candied yams, real
corn bread, okra, corn & tomatoes, short ribs, ox tails, smothered
chicken, mac & cheese, black eyed peas, friend chicken, not to
mention my Cousin Greg's Salmon Croquets, biscuits and grits!!!; with
Ice Cold Watermelon, an avocado salad - by my cousin Ling; deep dish
peach cobbler by "xxx" - are you hungry yet?)
And while you're
washing it down with lemonade, Adolf will regale you with stories about
growing up in Oklahoma, and our relatives that will keep you cracking
up the entire evening.
I wish I could be there in person to
celebrate this wonderful occasion with him and the family. Since I
can't be there in person, I'm writing this article to give him his
props, and to let him and the world know how special he is to me and all
the family: Mom Ruby Love, Warner Jr., Brenda Nell, Sylvester, Kira,
Rais, Adiya, LaDonne, and the rest of the crew in New York, Oklahoma
City, Texas, Maryland, Philadelphia, DC, Virginia, Chicago, Detroit.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE ADOLF!!!!
I love you muchly. May you have many more wonderful, blessed, fun filled and love filled years to come.
From Gloria Jeanne
PS: This salute was written in 2014 for Adolf on his 80th Birthday
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8661755859413500477/3503753504289281828
PS:
If you are traveling to LaLa Land stop by and tell them Gloria
DULAN-Wilson sent you. Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen - (310) 671-3345 - GDW
We are now in 2022 and the legacy of my Uncle, Adolf DULAN continues to rise and expand - through Gregory, Jeff, Terry, Tiffany and Danielle - Dulan's on Crenshaw was recently celebrated as the LA Ram's favorite Soul Food Restaurant during the 2022 Superbowl - which, by the way, the Ram's won. They were also nominated for a James Beard Award for Culinary Excellence. Can't you just see him beaming down with wonderfully handsome face and that great smile of his?
NOW THAT YOU KNOW
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson
