Food as a material heritage in the light of anthropological studies between the duality of nature and culture

Abstract

Food does not only mean the satisfaction of a primary biological need for humans. From the angle of anthropological studies it constitutes an important and vital research topic, both in terms of what is permeated with cultural practices of a ritual nature, or in terms of the accompanying symbolic shipments that constitute a network of important meanings that play a role in giving meaning to the present and continuous action, this is in addition to the association of preparing food in most cultures with the theme of identity and cultural affiliation in the human being, and from the nature side, food usually formed the bridge between culture and nature.

The aim of this article is to highlight the anthropological studies that dealt with food issues in the light of the duality of "nature and culture", and in turn, to address the extent of reliance on anthropological research in reaching goals in the light of the current living crisis, and whether there are anthropological studies on food in its symbolic dimension in connection with the cultural context of the Algerian society.