Bahia’s <em>dendê </em>and the Forgotten Knowledge: Cultural Heritage, Sustainability, and the Marginalization of Afro-Brazilian Traditions

Palm oil (Elaeis guineensis), one of the most widely used vegetable oils globally, originates from West Africa and has played a significant role in food, health care, and historical trade networks. While commonly viewed as an industrial commodity, in Bahia, Brazil, palm oil, locally known as azeite de dendê, holds cultural, historical, and symbolic significance. Introduced during the colonial period as a non-native species in the Atlantic Forest ecosystem, Elaeis guineensis has since adapted to local biodiversity, becoming embedded in regional agroecological systems and Afro-Brazilian cuisine, religious practices, and identity formation, particularly within the culinary and religious traditions of the region. Bahia’s dendê economy contrasts sharply with the monoculture palm oil plantations of the Brazilian Amazon and other regions of the world such as Indonesia and Malaysia. In Bahia, palm oil production is still rooted in biodiverse landscapes, maintained through artisanal methods and generational knowledge. Yet, this traditional system faces mounting pressures from deforestation, declining artisanal production, and the industrialization of palm oil supply chains. Parallel to these ecological and economic threats is the abandonment of Bahia’s historical processing infrastructure: many traditional mills and industrial heritage sites have been lost, eroding both tangible and intangible cultural landscapes. These shifts have profound implications for the baianas do acarajé, the iconic street vendors and cultural guardians of Afro-Brazilian cuisine. Representing a matriarchal cultural lineage, these women rely on high-quality, manually produced dendê to prepare dishes such as acarajé, vatapá, and moqueca baiana. The increasing cost and reduced availability of artisanal oil compromise not only their livelihoods but also the authenticity of comidas de azeite, diminishing a sensory and symbolic culinary tradition. This article argues that Bahia’s palm oil heritage embodies a multifaceted heritage, spanning religious, economic, ecological, and cultural dimensions, that remains under-recognized and vulnerable. Drawing from UNESCO’s framework of intangible cultural heritage, the study offers evidence of how these practices are transmitted across generations and the consequences of their neglect. It calls for informed recognition and support of the communities that sustain this knowledge. Failing to act risks further marginalizing these groups, many of whom are already socially and economically vulnerable, and losing a vital component of Brazil’s Afro-descendant cultural identity. Moreover, this study shows that local communities have much to teach a globalized society, offering practical tools to address contemporary challenges through traditions that foster sustainability and environmentally friendly practices.