Late in the afternoon and served piping hot in a gourd, the tacacá soup is a must-have dish across Brazil’s Amazonian cities.
Made from cassava, dried shrimp, and jambu – the tingling plant – the dish has indigenous origins and is prepared by tacacazeiras, or tacacá makers.
Now, the craft of these cooks, who are guardians of the recipe, has been recognized as cultural heritage of Brazil by the National Institute of Historic and Cultural Heritage, IPHAN.
In general, tacacá recipes are family secrets passed down from generation to generation. Each has its own way of balancing the alkalinity of the starch with the acidity of the tucupi, seasoned with chicory, basil, and even garlic, varying from vendor to vendor.
Once registered as heritage, it is up to the institute to develop a plan to safeguard it. The measure should include ways to promote the cuisine, manage small businesses, access raw materials, and improve points of sale.
A source of pride
At 71 years old, Maria de Nazaré, also known as Aunt Naza, says she learned how to make the dish from her grandmother and her mother. For 15 years, selling it in Manaus has been her main source of income.
“Tacacá has always been part of my life. I used to sell it late in the afternoon, after work, outside my house. I raised two grandchildren who became lawyers, two who became doctors, and one who became a journalist,” she recounted.
Nazaré was in Brasília this week and attended the IPHAN meeting that made the craft a national heritage. She celebrated the decision.
“Being a tacacá maker means taking pride in our unique ingredients. Amazonian cuisine is alive, powerful, and deserves to be celebrated,” she declared.
Over the years, tacacá broth has undergone variations. It came to be served with crab, popcorn, and even in a vegan version, with heart of palm or olives.
Research
To make the craft of the tacacá makers listed as cultural heritage, the institute organized a research and documentation project on the tradition involved in preparing the dish as well as related knowledge, from purchasing ingredients to marketing.
The work was carried out in partnership with the Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA). The team visited seven Brazilian states, documenting and hearing from cooks about the registration.
In the file that supported the decision to include the craft in the Livro dos Saberes (“Book of Knowledge”), experts from the institute say that tacacá makers are “keepers of knowledge and secrets” and continue “not only the methods of preparing an elaborate dish, but also forms of sociability.”
These women, the document goes on to say, are also responsible for passing on “exclusive knowledge,” step by step, so that the practice is not lost.
History
Tacacá is a traditional indigenous dish, but its commercialization was first recorded in the late 19th century, with urban expansion in the region and labor shortages.
At that time, women began selling food on the streets as a strategy for survival, balancing household duties with earning a living.
Source: Agência Brasil