Piau'i regional gastronomy: a tool for cultural discoveries

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A new perspective has emerged in gastronomy in which specific expertise has gained prominence. The curiosity for new flavors and experiences drives tourism through a demand for the socio-cultural characteristics of a given community and, in this way, they can be understood as cultural heritage (Silva et al, 2021). For many visitors, the traditional cuisine of a certain place becomes enough motivation to travel from their place of origin in search of satisfying their curiosity with a simple food tasting or even learning on-site how to prepare a certain dish. This approach in communities can become a major driver of tourist flow and preserve memories through flavors and experiences, encouraging the exposure and dissemination of the diversity of gastronomic techniques passed on between generations (Berbel-Pineda et al, 2019). The prospect of continuing the customs and practices of the ancestors depends on how much a community identifies with its own culture.

Food in its simplicity (or complexity)

In search of understanding the "farinhada", a socio-cultural manifestation of food production from cassava, this study was based, at first, on a bibliographic research from books and scientific articles. Then, it was proceed the participatory observation of the processes of the "farinhada" with the objective of recognizing and analyzing the value of the cassava flour as a means of subsistence and as a cultural heritage of Piaui under the gastronomic perspective and the other cultural contributions to the state. The participatory observation was conducted in the flour mill in the village of Canto Grande in the municipality of Cajueiro da Praia (Figure 1), analyzing the local actors and their roles within the process of production and organization of this cultural expression.

Legend

О Municipality

X Roads

Q Hydrography

Q Cajueiro da Praia

0 Comunidade Canto Grande

Fig 1 - Location of the Canto Grande community (green dot), Cajueiro da Praia, Piaui Source: adapted from Braga (2021)

Methodology

This research was carried out through participatory observation for the collection of primary data and bibliographic research to discuss theoretical aspects related to tourism, the production of typical foods as a cultural heritage and gastronomy as a tourist attraction. According to Correia (1999) and Franca etai. (2022), participant observation is carried out through direct contact between the researcher and the social actors surveyed. This contact is usually frequent and prolonged and takes place in the cultural context of the researched groups, but it should be noted that the researcher himself becomes a research instrument. This method requires the researcher to eliminate possible "subjective deformations" so that it is possible to understand the phenomena, facts and forms of interactions between subjects under observation, within their social and territorial context.

For the identification of the cultural manifestation of the "farinhada", the stages of production of the different food kinds from the processing of cassava are presented. The detailed description is the result of participatory observation of the production method.

Intangible Heritage

In order to understand the theme presented, it is presented the concept of intangible heritage defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2003, in accordance with the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, ratified by Brazil, through the Institute do Patrimonio Historico e Ar-tistico Nacional (IPHAN), in 2006. IPHAN adopts that the intangible cultural heritage is composed of:

the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and techniques - together with the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural places associated with them - that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as an integral part of their Cultural Heritage (IPHAN, 2006).

the way of cooking Bahian food, with distinctions regarding the religious offer or the informal sale in Salvador's public places; the elements associated with the sale, such as Bahian clothing, the preparation of the tray and the places where they are installed; the meanings attributed by Bahian women to their craft and the meanings attributed by local and national society to this symbolic element that constitutes the Bahian identity (IPHAN, 2009).

Gastronomy and Identity

Food, within and between families and communities, generates memories that connect people to their ancestors. The manifestation of the "farinhada" in the Northeast of Brazil and, specifically in the state of Piaui, is a common practice among families in the interior and passed down through generations in the "flour houses". The "farinhada" takes place in a period of one to two weeks in which the members of a particular family or community are divided into groups, one for the collection of cassava in the field, usually composed of the men of the families, and another, mostly female, for cassava peeling for the production of puba (a dough extracted from fermented cassava) flour, tapioca (starch extracted from cassava), beiju (cooked tapioca dough) and puba porridge.

The process of producing food kinds from cassava occurs in many inland communities in Northeast Brazil and has great impact and significance. The production and distribution of products among families, or even the sale of flour, beiju and tapioca to neighboring communities, often determines a family's subsistence for about six months. It is concluded that some traditions, especially those involving food, can be the subsistence solution found in times of scarcity and, even with the transformations of social groups over time, these actions remain and are typical of that group. According to Rozin & Rozin (1981) apud Hernandez & Gracia-Arnaiz (2005, p. 39), each culture generates a peculiar gastronomy, with recipes, ingredients, aromas, preparation techniques, ways of serving and even eating. This kind of cuisine has particular classifications and precise rules, both in terms of preparation and combination of foods, as well as in terms of harvesting, production, conservation and consumption.

When we consider traditions as something that can also be modified over time, since the culture is dynamic, in some communities the "farinhada" was remodeled to the new technological resources of production for the preparation of the flour and the "puba", developing new methods of pressing and roasting the cassava dough. The way of cooking is connected to the way of life of a population and there is a link between gastronomy and regional identity, with food being a language related to regional culture through the customs and behaviors of a people, including their food preparations (Garcia, 1999).

In the northern region of Brazil, in the municipality of Nova Olinda, in the state of Amazonas, where the indigenous society of Maragua is located, cassava is prepared in a different way than in Piaui. The process cited in the study by Wagley (1988) is called "soft and dry stump" in which, instead of grating the cassava, it is immersed in water and undergoes a fermentation process "in a stream or any running water, for about four days, until it becomes puba, that is, softened, almost rotten" (Wagley, 1988, p. 88). After being removed from the water, the husk is easily removed, "the juice is extracted", and the soft dough is sieved and then roasted to produce the flour. In Ita, a municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, in the southern region of the country, the best flour is the one prepared with a combination of the two methods: half of the tubers are grated, and the other half softened in water. Then the two types of products are mixed and roasted (Wagley, 1988). This same process is described by Gal-vao (1979, p. 238) "the roots are deposited in water, often at the bottom of canoes, and left there to pubar (ferment) for three or four days, being able to mix the two processes simultaneously, mixing the grated mass with the puba".

It is noted that the ways of making results in different flours and the processes themselves, even with the same purposes, can differ from one community to another. The nomenclature used, the tools and products will be determined by the conditions of each people.

Geographical Indication and Tourism

In Brazil, the process of valuing local foods and geographical indications are still very much linked to the process of recognizing foods, or their forms of production, as intangible cultural heritage. It is based on the understanding that recognition as an intangible heritage generates the appreciation of local products and typical foods for tourism that the cultural aspects involving the production of cassava flour on the coast of Piaui will be presented. Regarding the use of GIs by tourism, Costa (2014, p. 27) considers them "as a fundamental element in the dissemination of the product, construction of itineraries and the elaboration of tourist products that become competitive because they are differentiated in the face of the globalized world".

This process of "rediscovery" is a counterpoint to the acculturation process resulting from globalization and "suggests that the new identity constructions have occurred with a re-encounter with cultural traditions" (Flores, 2006 : 6). Recognition consists of expanding people's vision of the environment in which they live, deconstructing the old paradigms that were the focus of a mass tourist activity directed towards profit and artificiality in the destination. The uniqueness between destinations is increasingly necessary to attract new visitors and further development for the destination.

Geographic Identity Markings in Virtual Environments

For Mendes (2018 : 218) "hashtags are used as a way to organize posts with the same theme and facilitate the retrieval of information, since, when clicking on a hashtag, all posts are tagged in the same way". This is one of the tools for territorial organization and classification within the virtual field, making it easier to find the profile of many companies in the tourist industry at the time of disclosure. The need to determine the singularities of territory brings a necessary discussion within the tourist market that strives to segment the tourist activity, to facilitate the endogenous development of many destinations in expanding their geographical identity and valuing their social, cultural and natural aspects (Oliveira, 2021).

Geographical identity can increase the appreciation of local social, cultural and landscape aspects by tourists and residents. This makes it necessary to develop the social structure of communities and recognize themselves without artificiality, since tourist attractions, even with an infrastructure and services aimed at visitors, must preserve their identity characteristics and access as a form of leisure for residents.

The Gastronomy of Piaui

The cooking methods and seasonings used in the preparation of the dishes differ in the different regions of the country, and in the dishes most consumed by Brazilians these aspects stand out, as in the example of the coastal region of Brazil. While the cuisine observed in the coastal area of the country uses ingredients normally found in coastal areas, in Piaui, the state with the smallest coastline in the Northeast, there is a predominantly rural cuisine (Claudia Cozinha Regional Brasileira, Sergipe e Piaui, 2012, p. 22).

The displacement of people instigated the process of recognition of the territory and its circumstances, that is, the development of techniques according to the transited environment and the raw material found in the region formed the typical dishes of the state.

The territorial construction in the gastronomic perspective can be seen on the map below (Figure 2) representing the main typical dishes found in the state of Piaui.

Fig. 2 - Main typical dishes of Piaui

The dishes mentioned above constitute the regional cuisine of Piaui. Perez San Vicente (2002) argues that each cuisine has a particularessence, composed of a set of rules that characterize and identify it, which must not be transgressed so that its identity is not lost; every cuisine originates in a specific geographic place - which determines its spaces, its people, its products and inputs; and a cousine is distinguished by its sets of preparations (dishes) (Perez San Vicente, 2002 :82).

The tourist market considers gastronomy as a tourist attraction. In the city of Campo Maior, near Teresina, capital of the state of Piaui, the gastronomic festival "Sabor Maior" takes place every year promoting the typical dishes of the region. The event has given a strong economic boost and cultural visibility to the city of Campo Maior and "there is no doubt that through this event the cuisine of Campo Maior has stood out and has proven its centuries-old fame. Campo Maior and sun-dried meat, today, are synonymous" (Paixao, 2015, p. 1). Several typical dishes of the community use sun-dried meat as an ingredient, such as the "pagoca de came seca" and Maria Isabel (a mix with rice and sun-dried meat cubes). "Sun-dried meat is a great highlight, one of the traditional brands of the city, alongside so-called typical foods such as pa^oca, guinea hen, lamb and Maria-Isabel" (Prefeitura de Campo Maior, 2014).

The production of goats and sheep in Piaui is highlighted for being an ingredient that carries the typicality of Piaui. The capital Teresina is the largest market for goats and sheep in the state. There is in Teresina a wide formalized circuit of processing and marketing of goats and sheep, including slaughterhouses, supermarkets, meat houses and restaurants (Sidersky, 2018).

The guinea hen is also one of the animals used as a typical ingredient of the state and can be found in rice preparations, for example. The Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants (ABRASEL) (2018) highlights the predilection of Piaui residents for the guinea hen as an unusual gastronomic trait. In the state, as in no other in Brazil, this bird of African origin is widely appreciated, and in Piaui it is called "capote".

As for seafood, the consumption of shrimp, crab and shellfish is observed. There are several common preparations of shrimp in Piaui, consumed mainly on the beaches of the coast. Of particular note are the breaded shrimp, vinaigrette, shrimp risotto, shrimp Stroganoff and, especially, toasted shrimp in garlic and oil. The main crab supplier municipality in Piaui is I Iha Grande, where crabs are found in areas near to the Parnaiba Delta. The municipality annually organizes the crab festival promoting dishes produced with the crustacean.

The typical drink from Piaui is Cajuina and it was created in Teresina. The symbol drink of the city of Teresina is prepared in an artisanal way, with cashew juice and the addition of gelatin. Without alcohol, Cajuina has a yellowish color, the result of the caramelization of the fruit's natural sugar.

The dimension of Piaui's culinary wealth is increasing, as researches are carried out, especially due to observations and comparisons between different production methods existing in different regions of the state of Piaui itself. It is in this context that the "farinhada" is presented as a typical manifestation of Piaui due to the unique characteristics of flour preparation in the rural communities of the state.

Results and Discussions

The manifestation of the "farinhada" can be observed in the community of Canto Grande, municipality of Cajueiro da Praia, where twenty-three families currently reside, totaling eighty-five inhabitants. The "farinhada" begins with the planting of cassava in the period of December, when there are the first rains, allowing the harvest in the period from July to August, when the rainy season ends, favoring the processof flour production. Most of the families living in Canto Grande work together to make flour and even plant cassava sharing the same growing space. Families gather neighbors and relatives who live close to the region to help with the "farinhada" and, when there are not enough people for production, it is common to hire helpers for a daily rate of fifty to sixty reais (Brazilian currency), and some people accept to work in exchange of the flour, the final product of the "farinhada".

Currently, the manifestation of the "farinhada" is maintained by larger families who need the production of different types of flour as a means of subsistence. The community fears losing the tradition due to the low interest of younger people in being partofthe whole process, including the maintenance of the flourmill that, built over forty years ago, currently has a fragile structure.

The gradual abandonment of the "farinhada" began with the implementation of the electricity network in the community and the availability of the internet via radio. In addition, the growing tourist development in Barra Grande, a rising coastal destination in Piaui, about a half-hour drive from Canto Grande, has brought new employment opportunities to the community. With the diversification of income sources, flour and other cassava processing products are no longer the only means of subsistence for families. However, families in Canto Grande report that they want to maintain the tradition of the "farinhada", even if using another flourmill located in nearby villages, as the community recognizes the economic and socio-cultural importance of the "farinhada".

In Canto G rande, the production of cassava flour comprises four basic processes that begin with the cassava harvest. Some families even add a fifth process with the production of cakes and tapioca, but this is not always observed. All processes are described below (Figure 3):

• -    Process 1: the production of flour begins with the harvest of cassava around five o'clock in the morning. Collectors place the cassava at an easily accessible point for a cart driver to load and transport it to the flourmill.

• -    Process 2: in the flourmill, the cassava is peeled, and this process can be done until the next day of harvest at most, avoiding the hardening of cassava. The scraping process in which the cassava husk is removed is normally done by the women of the family or by hiring other people from the community. Payment can be made with cash, with a daily rate between thirty to forty reais, or in exchange for the final products of the "farinhada", such as flour, puba and tapioca.

• -    Process 3: the peeled cassava is placed in tanks with waterto soften and they are submerged for about two days. Softening is necessary to facilitate the step of grinding cassava to produce a dough. The milling and subsequent crushing of cassava is done in a wooden structure in which metal blades fit, driven by a motor powered by electricity or gasoline. The resulting mass is pressed for twelve to fifteen hours to extract the juice called tucupi, also used in the cuisine on some Brazilian states. The press used in Canto Grande was built more than thirty-five years ago with carnauba wood, a palm tree available in the region. Previously, this process was done using carnauba straw, distributing the mass over the straw and then placed in the sun to dry.

• -    Process 4: the cassava mass must be removed from the press and sieved. This task is done by the oven man, who is also responsible

for keeping the fire in the wood-fired oven and roasting the flour. The firewood needed to power the wood-fired oven must be collected and transported the day before the mass is ground. The mass, already sifted, is placed on a metal plate and taken to the oven to bake, stirring with a wooden squeegee for about an hour until it is colored. The oven man takes around twelve hours to complete the entire process.

• -    Process 5: Gum can be produced from the cassava mass by adding large amounts of water to extract the maximum amount of cassava juice. The withdrawn liquid is strained and placed in aluminum bowls to decant the gum. From this gum it is possible to make tapioca and beiju, which is a mixture of the sieved cassava mass and the dry gum. The manue cake is made with grated coconut and pressed and sieved cassava dough, called puba. The mixture is rolled up in a banana leaf and placed on the plate in a wood-fired oven for roasting.

Cassava flour in northeastern Brazil occupies a relevant position in the population's diet, either as an accompaniment or to add flavor to dishes of the local cuisine. The "farinhada" is a form of livelihood for several families who use flour, puba and tapioca as food for their own consumption and as a bargaining chip. In addition, the "farinhada" is a source of income for those who are hired to work during all stages of the process. The wealth of utensils used, the ways of making it, the variety of products derived from cassava and the production of flour can be considered an intangible heritage of the state of Piaui, worthy of preservation and dissemination. It is through the collective memory of a people that identity and a sense of belonging are unveiled to generate relevance and unity.

Despite IPHAN's efforts to preserve local knowledge as a Brazilian intangible heritage, there are still few initiatives registered in relation to gastronomy in Brazil. Likewise, studies on the roots of Brazilian cuisine are still insufficient, which may reflect on the understanding of typical cuisine as a cultural heritage, not being the focus of public policies for investment and appreciation.

Cassava softening

Cassava harvest

Scraping the cassava

Wood-fire oven

Cassava milling

Cassava dough pressing

Flour roasting

Washing the cassava dough

Straining the cassava dough

Gum decantation

Manue cake production

The manue cake

Fig. 3 - The processes of the "farinhada"

Source: Personal archive (2021)

The certification of culinary genres can be a tool for preserving the peculiar characteristics of Brazilian cuisine. In addition to respecting the memories left by the ancestors who built Brazilian miscegenation, we can also make clear to many peoples the relevance of customs within the food context. Despite the typical gastronomy being mentioned in national and international events and publications managed by the Brazilian Agency for the

International Promotion of Tourism (Embra-tur), there are few certifications that truly validate and preserve the diversity of typical dishes of our country.

The contributions of Piaui in Brazilian cuisine are still poorly recognized and deserve to be explored. As presented in this study, only the "farinhada" produces several ingredients used in Brazilian cuisine, such as beiju, tapioca, whiteflour, puba, cassava cacha^a, among others. The type of flour that is obtained from the cassava root, since the arrival of the first Portuguese in Brazil, has been observed in the great diversity of products derived from cassava (Camargo, 2005). In the north and northeast regions of Brazil, dishes are prepared with the roots and leaves of cassava, including beiju, tapioca, puba, mani^oba, tucupi, tacaca, gum, arube, among others. In addition, there is a diversity of types of flour "such as water flour, dry or table flour, mixed or "do Para" (Nor-manha, 1966/1970, p. 243).

Concluding Remarks

The various expressions of intangible heritage in Brazil are still not able to aggregate the country's numerous identity groups. Each ethnic and social group that makes up the Brazilian nation has contributed with peculiar habits and concepts. All these characteristics merged, aligned and built new ways of living together and this is reflected in the cuisine. It is observed that the communities have gastronomic aspects that support the group and, because they do not have the knowledge of the wealth of their own knowledge or there are no other possibilities to expose their methods, they ended up closing themselves in their own group.

From the registration of traditional knowledge, the national wealth becomes public and measures can be taken to protect the memory of those who initiated the identity processes in their locality. The community of Canto Grande is one of several Brazilian villages at risk of deconstructing their identity due to daily needs and new means of subsistence. These manifestations, as much as they can guarantee the survival of the family, motivate the exodus of the inhabitants of the villages to a place with greater possibilities of work. In Canto Grande there are families who have already moved from the state of Ceara and went to the community with the guarantee of a place to live and work. The flour was for these families, since the beginning of the settlement, the annual support of subsistence.

From this study, the aim is to seek ways that allow the certification of a typical food observed in its meanings, utensils and ingredients to justify its registration, valorization and protection as an intangible heritage. The recognition of the "farinhada" of the Canto Grande community as an intangible cultural heritage of Piaui, in addition to contributing to the self-esteem of the local population, can also add value to the final products and arouse the interest of tourists who circulate in the region.