Where the hearth burns, recipes of the soul. Time and place through foodways among Lacandon Maya from Mensäbäk
Date
2024
Authors
Sanchez Balderas, Adriana Fabiola
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Abstract
In my research I analyze the forms in which foodways, specifically the hearth is a place of encounter, formation of identity, and transfer of knowledge among Lacandon Maya from Mensäbäk, Chiapas, Mexico. The primary intention is to explore the different forms in which people interact around the hearth to communicate individual experiences and memories happening through foodways. The hearth is the central place where oral stories are shared, and recipes are transferred through hands-on practice. Knowledge about food, recipes, and customs have been passed down through generations, situating individuals through a sense of place and self. Through graphic anthropology as a form of inquiry and knowledge transfer, arts-based research in the form of comics and the graphic novel represent a unique modality with potential for anthropological knowledge production. My research utilizes arts-based, multi-modal approaches to inquiry to explore connections to feelings and relationships in the collective consciousness of Lacandon Maya foodways. Qualitative research included conversations with research participants and participant observation. I created vignettes as a creative process in collaboration with participants presenting the stories and experiences shared around the hearth. The graphic stories express memories, knowledge, and experiences, including contemporary issues, resulting from the profound relationship that people have with the hearth and around foodways.
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Keywords
Lacandon Maya, Oral Stories, Ethno/Graphy, arts-based research, foodways