Considering gastronomy as a source of expression of local culture, its use in tourism can contribute to enhancing and adding value to the destination, as well as encourage the pride of the local community, stimulating its production and consumption, and its dissemination outside the region. Bucho Raiano is a gastronomic product of identity and representativeness for the inland border region of Portugal (Riba Côa), for which its confraternity seeks the dissemination, the promotion of its consumption, and enhancement as a cultural resource. Gastronomic cofraternities play an important role in disseminating, promoting, and defending the agri-food products and quality gastronomy of a particular region, maintaining the historical legacy of the customs and respective peoples or regions, and contributing to the cultural and tourism valorisation of the territories to increase the tourists. Thus, this research aims to contextualize the Confraria do Bucho Raiano as a case study, its strategies and contributions to the promotion and enhancement of this gastronomic product.
TopIntroduction
Gastronomic confraternities assume a crucial role in disseminating, promoting, and safeguarding agri-food products and the high-quality gastronomy distinctive to a specific region. They serve as custodians of the historical customs of the local populace, ensuring the preservation of unique traditions, enhancing the value of their territories, and contributing to a deeper understanding of tourism (Carvalho e Almeida, 2022; Black & Gravestock, 2006). Importantly, these confraternities act as guardians against the erosion of cultural traditions, playing a pivotal role in maintaining the rich tapestry of their respective cultures (Alonso & O’Neill, 2010; Marques, 2017).
The identity of a destination, especially in terms of gastronomy, can be meticulously crafted through products, signature dishes, or distinctive cuisines that are intrinsically tied to the representativeness they hold within a locale. An exemplar of this is the Bucho Raiano, a gastronomic product synonymous with identity and significance for the inland border region of Portugal. Its brotherhood ardently seeks to disseminate, promote consumption, and elevate it as a cultural resource and identity marker for the border region. The objective in this context is to identify the product, delve into its history, and delineate the role of its custodians in its valorization, promotion, and dissemination. Viewing gastronomy as a means of expressing local culture, its integration into tourism can significantly contribute to the overall enhancement and value addition to a destination (Kim & Choe, 2019; Richards, 2012). It not only fosters local community pride but also stimulates production and consumption, encouraging recognition beyond the immediate region. Literature suggests that gastronomic products of a destination bolster the economy, particularly at the local level, enhance the destination's attractiveness, contribute to its authenticity, differentiate it from others, fortify its image, and contribute to its sustainability, thus increasing its competitiveness (Barroco & Augusto, 2016; Hall et al., 2003; Sthapit et al., 2021).
The valorization of these products emphasizes, in addition to cultural identity, a concern for their conservation as differentiated elements of gastronomy, in the face of the tendencies of acculturation and standardization that are taking place and which tend to weaken local products (Cunha 2018; Gheorghe et al., 2014). It should be noted that these agro-products incorporate history, ways of life and traditions, and are elements of community self-esteem that should be promoted by new generations, for which the confraternities represent an important defender of these food legacies.
Bucho Raiano stands out as a distinguished gastronomic product encapsulating regional identity. This round-shaped sausage, crafted from the pig's meat left attached to the bones, head, tail, and ear after slaughter, represents a resourceful tradition born out of the necessity to utilize every part of the animal and store proteins for the winter months when they are most needed. The significance of Bucho Raiano as a gastronomic product has led to the establishment of confraternities dedicated to valuing, promoting, and generating economic value for both the product and the region of its origin.
The creation of a confraternity aimed at enhancing, promoting and generating economic value for Bucho Raiano underlines its importance as a gastronomic product and cultural heritage.
Our objectives are therefore to understand the importance of confraternities in the valorization and promotion of Bucho Raiano, to identify their logic of action and to evaluate their contributions to inland gastronomic tourism, including specific traditions and their impact. In this context, a characterization of the confraternity and the profile of its members is promoted, with the aim of understanding their role in boosting the confraternity and promoting Bucho Raiano, evaluating the ways in which they join, their contributions and the assessments they make of the logics of action in the dissemination and promotion of Bucho Raiano.