Interculturalidad alimentario-nutricional en la etnia Wixarika de México / Eating-nutritional interculturality in the Wixarika ethnic group of Mexico

Fundamento: La alta prevalencia de problemas alimentario- nutricionales y el bajo impacto de los programas alimentarios, principalmente porque se ha ignorado la cosmovisión de este pueblo, justifica la recuperación de la cultura de consumo alimentario-nutrimental de la etnia Wixarika en México. La investigación tiene el objetivo de identificar elementos para construir un modelo de alimentación y nutrición sustentable, intercultural y participativo que articule modernidad y tradiciones ancestrales. Métodos: Se utiliza la metodología de investigación acción participativa sustentada en la epistemología sociocrítica con las técnicas de entrevista en profundidad y etnografía participante. La investigación se realizó en la comunidad Wixarika de Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlan, en el municipio de Mezquitic, Jalisco, México. Resultados: El consumo alimentario del pueblo Wixarika tiene un sentido religioso, en el que el maíz es el articulador principal de la cosmovisión alimentaria. La base de la producción y el consumo alimentario está formada por la tríada: maíz, frijol y calabaza, con agregados de jitomate y chile, así como de la recolección de alimentos del entorno ecológico como hongos, quelites y nopales, alimentos que al producirse y consumirse en cantidades suficientes y combinados adecuadamente pueden permitir una alimentación correcta para esta etnia. Conclusiones: La alimentación constituye un elemento central en la construcción de la cosmovisión del pueblo Wixarika, representaciones y significados que deben integrarse para la construcción de un modelo que garantice la seguridad alimentario-nutrimental de esta etnia (AU)

Background: The high prevalence of eating-nutritional problems and the low degree of impact the food programs have, mainly because the cosmovision of this people has been overlooked warrants the recovery of the eating-nutritional culture of the Wixarika ethnic group in Mexico. This research is aimed at providing elements for constructing a sustainable, intercultural, participation- based eating and nutrition model bringing together modernity and this people's ancestral traditions. Methods: The participative action based on the Sociocritical epistemology was employed as the research methodology with the in-depth survey and participating ethnography techniques. This rese- arch was conducted in the Wixarika of Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlan community in the municipality of Mezquitic, Jalisco, Mexico. Results: The foods eaten by the Wixarika people have a religious meaning, in which corn is the main connecting force of their food- related cosmovision. As most Mesoamerican cultures, the basis of food production and consumption is comprised by the «three sisters»: corn, beans and squash, to which «jitomate» and «chile» have been added, as well as the gathering of foods from the surrounding environment such as fungus, chelites and nopal, foods which, on being produced and eaten in sufficient quantities and properly combined may provide for this ethnic group being properly fed. Conclusions: Food comprises a central aspect in the way in which the cosmovision of the Wixarika people is set out, these being representations and meanings which must be integrated in order to a model which will ensure the eating-nutritional soundness of this ethnic group (AU)

[Eating-nutritional interculturality in the Wixarika ethnic group of Mexico]. / Interculturalidad alimentario-nutricional en la etnia Wixarika de Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The high prevalence of eating-nutritional problems and the low degree of impact the food programs have, mainly because the cosmovision of this people has been overlooked warrants the recovery of the eating-nutritional culture of the Wixarika ethnic group in Mexico. This research is aimed at providing elements for constructing a sustainable, intercultaral, participation-based eating and nutrition model bringing together modernity and this people's ancestral taditions. METHODS: The participative action based on the Sociocritical epistemology was employed as the research methodology with the in-depth survey and participating ethnography techniques. This research was conducted in the Wixarika of Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlan community in the municipality of Mezquitic, Jalisco, Mexico. RESULTS: The foods eaten by the Wixarika people have a religious meaning, in which corn is the main connecting force of their food-related cosmovision. As most Mesoamerican cultures, the basis of food production and consumption is comprised by the "three sisters: corn, beans and squash, to which jitomate and chile have been added, as well as the gathering of foods from the surrounding environment such as fungus, chelites and nopal, foods which, on being produced and eaten in sufficient quantities and properly combined may provide for this ethic group being properly fed. CONCLUSIONS: Food comprises a central aspect in the way in which the cosmovision of the Wixarika people is set out, these being representations and meanings which must be integrated in order to model which will ensure the eating-nutritional soundness of this ethnic group.