El papel de los recursos pesqueros en el patrimonio biocultural y la alimentación en Ihuatzio, México

Abstract

Ihuatzio is an original town of México with Purepecha descent, which takes advantage of the fishing resources of Lake Patzcuaro. In this community exist a close relationship with the Lake´s species, which led to the development of an ethno-zoological study that highlights the biocultural heritage of the fishing resources. The objective of this document was evaluated the presence of fishing resources in celebrations (fishing, handicrafts, traditional cooks) and other representations provided by the inhabitants of Ihuatzio. 13 visits were made into the town to identify celebrations, productive groups related to these resources and artistic expressions. Informal talks were held in the population and open interviews with key actors, in addition, a semi-structured interview was applied to the main groups identified: 14 craftsmen, 15 fishermen and 15 traditional cooks, with the objective to document the knowledge of the species and his importance in their diet. The results helped identify various ceremonies where fish is consumed. The celebrations corresponded with a calendar related to the social organization Purépecha uses and customs. Fishermen are the group that knows the greatest number of species, followed by cooks; in the three groups, fish is the main source of animal protein, and all recognize the decrease in endemic species. This has generated changes in the ways of fishing, cooking and representing the resources, but the essence and the roots of the fishing resources in their culture and diet still persist. The heritage of the lake's fishing resources represents for Ihuatzio an economic and nutritional resource for its inhabitants, that is why it is considered an important part of its biocultural patrimony.