Early childhood education and cultural identity: intergenerational transmission of ancestral gastronomic knowledge from Manabí as a sociocultural learning strategy

Abstract

Cultural identity is a fundamental component of holistic development during early childhood, as this is the stage where bonds of belonging, recognition of the environment, and appreciation of traditions are progressively built, the ancestral gastronomic knowledge of Manabí represents an expression of intangible cultural heritage and an opportunity to generate educational experiences in early childhood, for this reason, this article aims to analyze the pedagogical potential of traditional Manabí gastronomic knowledge as a resource to strengthen cultural identity and promote the intergenerational transmission of knowledge in preschool children, the research builds upon a previous study on gastronomic tourism and cultural sustainability in Manabí and redirects it towards an educational perspective, a mixed-methods approach is proposed, with a descriptive-interpretive scope, through document review, semi-structured interviews with knowledge bearers, teachers, and families, as well as observation of pedagogical experiences related to cultural and food practices, the document review shows that traditional Manabí cuisine encompasses knowledge related to local products, preparation techniques, tools, and seasonality, it is also important to consider Portoviejo international recognition as a Creative City of the Gastronomy since 2019 and the designation of Manabí as a World Region of Gastronomy 2026 reinforce the relevance of studying this knowledge from an educational perspective, it is proposed that the pedagogical incorporation of stories, products, family recipes, culinary experiences, and other activities adapted to early childhood can contribute to the development of cultural identity, family participation, and learning, it is concluded that Early Childhood Education can play a strategic role in safeguarding cultural heritage through respectful, participatory, and contextualized pedagogical experiences.