Gastronomic charter(s) as instrument(s) of territorial enhancement: the case of Almeirim
Abstract
A Gastronomic Charter (GC), as a cultural reference tool, results from a broad and systematic research process aimed at valuing and safeguarding gastronomic heritage. The GC pays homage to popular cultures, indigenous products, and traditional knowledge that shape a community's territorial identity, resulting in a bibliographic work that brings together a representative collection of the gastronomic culture of a given region. This study results from an empirical and descriptive analysis, based on consultation of the GC of the Lezíria do Tejo, municipality of Almeirim (Portugal). This constitutes the object of investigation, as it reflects diverse social and ethnographic perspectives, as well as old recipes transmitted orally over successive generations. Focused on the analysis of the two volumes of the Lezíria do Tejo GC, promoted by the Intermunicipal Community of Lezíria do Tejo, the research aims to: (1) reflect on the importance of the GC, (2) analyze the different perspectives of the GC, including cultural, social and ethnographic, and (3) describe, synthesize and apply these diverse perspectives to a specific territory (municipality of Almeirim). This study is of particular importance, as GCs are fundamental instruments for the documentation, preservation, and enhancement of gastronomic heritage. By systematizing traditional knowledge, practices and products, they reinforce the cultural identity of communities and ensure the qualified transmission of gastronomic traditions to future generations, thus contributing to territorial enhancement.
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