Representações sociais da alimentação e soberania alimentar de estudantes indígenas do Insikiran

Abstract

The thesis aimed to understand the social representations of food and food sovereignty among Indigenous students from the Insikiran Institute of Higher Indigenous Education at the Federal University of Roraima during the period of 2022 to 2023. The investigation specifically focused on detailing the sociodemographic aspects of the students, understanding their daily eating practices and the new habits adopted, exploring their social representations related to health-illness, healthcare, food security, and food sovereignty, as well as describing the meanings and significances attributed to health, food, and the environment. The guiding question was to identify these students' social representations concerning food sovereignty, eating practices, and the new habits (re)developed through their academic training. Utilizing a quantitative and qualitative methodology and the dialectics of complexity, the research integrated data analysis from questionnaires with in-depth interpretations of semi-structured interviews, with a primary focus on social representations. The thesis was structured into four chapters, each aligned with the general objective and addressing specific aspects of the investigated subject. The research findings highlighted that the Indigenous students of the Insikiran Institute belong to various ethnicities, predominantly young women, especially from the Macuxi and Wapichana peoples. They reside in Indigenous communities and demonstrate a complex interaction between Indigenous food traditions and external influences, notably those introduced by the academic environment. There was an observed maintenance of traditional practices alongside the adoption of new elements, reflecting these students' adaptation to urban and academic contexts. The research emphasized the significance of Indigenous higher education in strengthening sustainable eating practices and promoting food autonomy while always respecting cultural and environmental diversity. It was found that the Insikiran Institute promotes a fusion of traditional and modern knowledge, balancing culture, health, and sustainability. The students showed a profound understanding of the interconnection between health, food, and environment, highlighting the importance of these aspects for the preservation of cultural practices and for Indigenous well-being. It is concluded that the social representations of food and food sovereignty are influenced by both traditional knowledge and academic training, reflecting the students' ability to integrate different knowledge systems and emphasizing the importance of educational approaches that value the cultural and environmental diversity of Indigenous communities.