Comidas que contam histórias e alimentam a alma: os matos de comer na comunidade Riacho das Plameiras, Seabra-BA

Abstract

This study addresses traditional food culture in the community of Riacho das Palmeiras, Seabra–BA, which is part of the Chapada Diamantina territory characterized by agrobiodiversity and ancestral knowledge. The context is one of replacement of traditional food from the wild by the hegemonic introduction of industrialized foods, threatening the conservation of knowledge between generations. The problem is demonstrated by the guiding question: how can the culture of wild edible plants contribute to the appreciation of ancestral knowledge, environmental conservation, and promote food sovereignty and security in the community of Riacho das Palmeiras? In view of this, the objective of the research was to analyze the community's relationship with the culture of wild edible plants. The study is qualitative in nature and uses an exploratory and analytical case study. Its theoretical and methodological basis is supported by participatory research, ensuring the protagonism of the subjects. The key concepts discussed include wild edible plants, food sovereignty and security, affectivity, and territoriality. The theoretical framework is supported by authors such as Freire (1987), Brandão (2006), and Thiollent (1999), who address popular education, and Kinupp and Brack, who address agrobiodiversity plants. The methodological path unfolded into eight sequential stages, using as main instruments documentary analysis (minutes and images of the association), conversation circles to diagnose knowledge and the recipe production workshop, complemented by visits to productive backyards. As a result, it was found that the ancestral knowledge involved in the cuisine of edible wild planacts as a livingmemory of food practices and the transmission of intergenerational knowledge, which implies the continuity of these cultural practices as a more frequent part of the community's daily life. The management of these plants promotes the conservation and recovery of degraded soils and the maintenance of local biodiversity. The consumption of edible wild plants contributes to the diversification of dishes using local resources, reducing dependence on industrialized and standardized foods, which contributes to a resilient andautonomous system, promoting food sovereignty and security.