Sweetcorn Atole as Part of Quintana Roo Local Food System Mexico’s Food Sovereignty and Biocultural Heritage

Abstract

The objective of this article is to highlight Atole, a drink derived from corn, as part of the biocultural heritage of Mexico that points to the food sovereignty of the territories. The global food system has negative impacts on the environment, culture and local food systems, making people who live in territories rich in biodiversity vulnerable and generating dependency on the consumption of non-local products, causing food deserts. In this sense, it first addressed the concepts of cultural heritage and its characteristics framed by the United Nations (UN); and biocultural, by the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (Conabio). Both concepts complement each other and help to understand how food is closely related to culture, meanings and rituals and to the geography and biodiversity inhabited by the various Indigenous communities. The second section delves into the role of corn as part of the Mexican diet and its nutritional composition; It tells the history of Atole and its importance in food and includes in-depth interviews with traditional cook Ady Pech from the community of Nuevo Durango, located in Quintana Roo to recognize the meanings and rituals of preparing the Atoles of her community. Finally, the third section addresses the concept of food security proposed by the UN and that of food sovereignty, which from our analysis is more complete. This section discusses the importance of resuming local food systems.