Food as a collective construction to promote health in african matrix territories

Abstract

This study examines food practices in territories rooted in African heritage as factors incommunity building, cultural resistance, and the promotion of health. The aim was tounderstand how traditional food knowledge, passed down through generations in terreiros—ritual spaces of the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé—contributes to the preservation of identity, food sovereignty, and community organization.A qualitative approach was adopted, based on participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and field notes, conducted in seven terreiros located in the Integrated Development Region of the Federal District (RIDE-DF).The findings reveal that food in the context of Candomblé goes beyond its nutritional role, serving as a vehicle for knowledge transmission, the strengthening of social bonds, and therapeutic practices that connect body, mind, and spirituality. The Olubajé ceremony,analyzed as a case example, underscores the sacralization of food and its relationship to collective well-being.The study concludes that the traditional food systems of terreiros safeguard Afro-Brazilian culture and offer sustainable and inclusive alternatives to address challenges such as food insecurity and biodiversity loss.