Decolonizing Food from an Andean Mountain View with Dr. Maria Fernanda Vivanco (Mara)

In this illuminating episode, we sit down with Dr. Maria Fernanda Vivanco, known as Mara, a Peruvian rural sociologist, feminist, and champion of food justice and Andean knowledge preservation. Mara, a lecturer at Cayetano University's Nutrition Department and Gender and Agriculture Specialist for Resonance Global, shares her rich experiences and insights.

The episode opens with Mara reciting her evocative poem, Taki Unquay. She discusses her transition from Peru to the U.S., reflecting on her identity as a Peruvian woman in a new country. Mara delves into her dissertation on the "lost crops of the Andes," exploring the effects on Peruvian farmers when Andean foods like quinoa are marketed globally as superfoods. She highlights the ethnic distinctions between people from Lima and the provinces and recounts her experiences during the Trump administration, addressing ethnic and racial stereotypes.

Mara examines the impact on Peruvian producers following the FAO's 1983 promotion of quinoa and the global cultivation of quinoa seeds. She discusses the challenges of Peruvian superfood maca being patented and grown internationally and stresses the importance of incorporating a critical perspective on race in food security, justice, and sovereignty discussions.

Transitioning from academia to gastronomic environments, Mara shares her interactions with cooks, chefs, and farmers about safeguarding Andean ancestral food knowledge systems. She critiques the superficial approach to sustainability and emphasizes restoring respect for Mother Earth in agricultural practices. Mara discusses the colonial practice of renaming plants and the accountability universities must take for past harms.

Mara also touches on the challenges of respectful engagement with Indigenous peoples as a researcher, her efforts to support women pursuing studies and travel, and the integration of poetry, music, and dance in academic writing. She reflects on her grandmother’s resilience, her own journey to becoming a sommelier, and her mission to experience food from an Andean perspective. Mara highlights her work on decolonization by engaging with ancestral artisans' works in Peruvian museums and teaching about forced migration in her university classes on the anthropology and sociology of food.

Join us for a conversation that bridges the gap between food, culture, and identity, offering a profound look at the intersections of academia, activism, and personal experience.