Resistance to the Colonization of Taste, Knowledge, and Practice in the Viticulture of Chile's Marga Marga Valley: Agroecology Confronts Globalization

Abstract

The article explores the colonization of taste, knowledge, and practices in peasant communities of Latin America, focusing on its impact on cultural and productive practices, particularly in viticulture. This process has involved the imposition of a local-global model that reshapes local preferences in taste and knowledge, as well as production methods connected to communities and their territories. As a result, standardization and homogenization arise in wine production and consumption processes, leading to a loss of cultural identity and biodiversity. The study focuses on the winemakers of the Marga Marga Valley in the Valparaíso Region of Chile, who resist these pressures through agroecological practices and the preservation of local knowledge. Using an action research and socio-praxis methodological design, qualitative knowledge-building techniques were implemented, including a workshop called “Field Days,” semi-structured interviews, and hermeneutic analysis. The study investigates the strategies adopted by the wine cooperative to sustain this type of production and contribute to the cultural and ecological sustainability of their territories within the region. Agroecological practices emerge as forms of resistance against the colonization of taste, knowledge, and practices, as well as against the power dynamics imposed by the wine agroindustry, such as Concha y Toro. By strengthening their identities and collective memory, the winemakers not only preserve their cultural heritage but also advocate against inequality and exclusion in a market that favors large-scale production.