project that investigates paranaense heritage

Gastronomy expresses the identity of a people and this is part of the cultural heritage and history of each region in the world. Looking at this heritage is the proposal of the new project supported by the Good Gourmet: the Food Culture Mapwhich will investigate what’s behind the ingredients that make up the basis of regional food culture in Paraná and part of Santa Catarina.

This discovery will take place through an expedition, which will take a team of researchers to cities in Paraná and Santa Catarina in search of the faces that keep the local food culture alive. The entire field research process will be transformed into a printed book and a visual arts exhibition, scheduled for release in September 2023.

The goal is to record eating habits, recipes and seasonings on a journey through Paraná and Santa Catarina. Driven by curiosity and creativity, the Montenegro Productions brought together a team of historians, sociologists, researchers and specialists in gastronomy to embark on a journey. The aim is to better understand the geographic, political and food history of dishes and foods such as barreado de Morretes, the coffee from Norte Pioneiro do Paraná and the banana candy from Antonina.

According to the project’s creator, Carolina Montenegro, the Food Culture Map arose from the need to work on food and the forms of production and preparation as cultural heritage, a source of stories and references.

“The research will use the GIs [indicações geográficas] as a compass for making stories of people who use food in their lives, whether professionally, affectively or through memory. With the Federal Culture Incentive Law, we were able to unify the project in social, educational and economic incentive deliveries.”

Geographical Indications (GIs) are products recognized for their local originality, based on their reputation and economic impact. The project counts on the participation of Sebrae in social contributions, benefiting long-stay institutions for the elderly and institutions for sheltering children and adolescents in vulnerable situations.

Team and route of the Food Culture Map

The mission to understand how these geographical indications relate to the general culture of Paraná begins with getting to know people. To create the Food Culture Map, it is necessary to translate economic, touristic and cultural relationships based on each food item.

The journey will take pastry chef Ana Souza, photographer Daniel Siwek, social scientist Rafaela Rocha and chef Rui Morschel on a journey that begins at April 3rd. Leaving Curitiba, they have Antonina, on the coast of Paraná, as their first destination.

The route is divided into regional stages: East, North, West, Southwest and, finally, the Santa Catarina Stage, which totals around 13 cities considering the North Pioneiro region, where the geographical indication of coffee is located. All discoveries and experiences will be documented at Bom Gourmet, in a special section for the project, which will gather research information, recipes and testimonials through videos, photographs and textual productions that will tell this story.

According to social scientist Rafaela Rocha, the research is not just about gastronomy. It is also a project that seeks to understand one’s own belonging from the foods and dishes that have the Geographical Indication seal.

“We are going to achieve an appropriation of knowledge, because feeling part of something affects all segments of society. The project affects, for example, those who heard their grandmother’s stories and didn’t think that would be enough to be considered culture.”

protect the producer

When dealing with the enhancement of traditional products linked to the territory, Sebrae sees as a priority to add value to the product and protect the producing region. Who represents the entity in the project is the consultant Mabel Guimarães, who explains how the state of Paraná is full of famous products in its culture – but the work of the geographical indication, the GI’s, is to consolidate this history.

“The Food Culture Map will give value and consideration to each geographical indication. INPI recognizes these products [Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial]but only after collecting information that we present through a dossier, which complies with the normative instructions of the institute”, points out Mabel.

Art, literature and gastronomy

As a result of this journey, the project will deliver art in the form of literature and an exhibition. The book Mapa da Cultura Alimentar will bring photos, insights, recipes and the entire experience recorded in production, becoming a permanent piece when it comes to collection and historical reference. It will bring a properly poetic and humanized vision that unites food, essential for life, to what weaves and preserves a critical society: culture.

The book launch will take place together with an art exhibition, produced by Renan Viana, an artist who, through playful scenes, mixes 2-centimeter human figures with objects of real proportion. “I will create an artistic installation using as a base foods that are classified between the GI’s of Paraná and SC,” describes Renan. “My idea is to create a mini world and, with the miniatures, tell a little of the story of each IG, considering its details and outstanding characteristics.”

The general public will be able to see the result of the project in September 2023, on the L4 floor of Shopping Mueller, in Curitiba. But until then, you can follow this journey through the Bom Gourmet platform.