FOOD CULTURE: STUDY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE GUAMOTE CANTON, PROVINCE OF CHIMBORAZO

Abstract

Unemployment, poverty and job instability are driving people in rural areas to migrate to cities or abroad, abandoning their ancestral knowledge, cultural practices and traditional foods. Preserving these customs is vital to maintaining cultural identity and generational knowledge systems. In Chimborazo, despite the efforts to preserve culinary traditions, the lack of identification of this knowledge has led to the creation of innovative recipes based on a few products, omitting the authentic ancestral flavors. This puts the sustainability and gastronomic identity of the province at risk. Specifically in Guamote, Chimborazo, its rich cultural and gastronomic heritage contrasts with agricultural labor exploitation and low incomes, which force migration and result in a progressive loss of cultural identity. This study seeks to identify the key factors to preserve and transmit the ancestral practices, knowledge and flavors of the region to future generations.