Regional identity, typical cuisine and the preservation of memory: an analysis of the socio-spatial dynamics based on the production of artisanal Cabacinha cheese in the Jequitinhonha Valley
Geography of Taste; Artisanal Cabacinha Cheese; Phenomenology; Cultural Identity; Memory.
The Geography of Taste is a field within Humanistic-Cultural Geography that, through an interdisciplinary perspective, seeks to investigate the plurality of spatial forms of existence manifested through the elements of the typical cuisine of a particular region or locality. Accordingly, throughout this dissertation, which will be presented to the Interdepartmental Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Arts, Urbanity, and Sustainability, we aim to conduct a socio-spatial analysis of the municipality of Pedra Azul - MG, focusing on the traditional production of Artisanal Cabacinha Cheese. The analysis developed here will address the issue of local cultural identity through the typical cuisine associated with cheese, which promotes the preservation of the community’s cultural memory. This phenomenological investigation seeks, through the subjective relationship between community members and the cheese, to understand the importance of this element within the landscape of Pedra Azul, which is currently manifest but has been shaped over decades, and is closely tied to the local cultural identity. Additionally, we will explore how the State influences the traditional mode of cheese production through the institutionalization of Artisanal Cabacinha Cheese, an initiative local producers have been pursuing. This research seeks support through a theoretical review based on bibliographic references related to the topic, as well as through interviews and photographic records obtained from fieldwork conducted in the municipality of Pedra Azul in August 2024.