Eating constitutes a human act that crosses the biological and symbolical, so much so, that societies have created a protocol of uses around it. Eating is tied to a system that classifies,... Show moreEating constitutes a human act that crosses the biological and symbolical, so much so, that societies have created a protocol of uses around it. Eating is tied to a system that classifies, organizes and places value not only on food, but also those who are dining in accordance with unfolding social frameworks. By understanding how communities and groups organize what they eat, we can become more aware of the social differences and tensions (in relation to gender, class, age and ethnicity among others) that exist. But above all, we can better understand how the act of eating can transform itself into a symbol that expresses and reproduces these differences. Set in Osorno, a city south of Chile, this study takes into account diverse social and symbolic aspects of cooking; analyzing how language constructs similarities and differences. The book focuses on daily eating habits, diets and dining festivities from cultural collective models (imaginaries) to the subjects’ economical and social dynamics. The author seeks to answer the question: What do you eat when you eat in Osorno? And as a guide to this investigation, it is assumed that consuming food is an action that goes beyond the necessity of nutrition, involving diverse spheres of social life. In the city of Osorno one can find an interculturality that is often times in conflict; one that realizes that cultural negotiations and dialogues where the “European”-or “white”-and the indigenous-Huilliche emerge as mechanisms to create a line that polarizes social identities. Show less