Entre varas, machetes y canastos: Cultura material asociada a la cosecha de cacao en una comunidad afrodescendiente del centro-norte de Venezuela.

The aim of this paper is to analyze the social representations of material culture associated with the harvest of cocoa, of afro-descendant women of the community Panaquire (Miranda State, Venezuela). It will deepen the local knowledge that they have of this productive activity, which involves a large part of their material culture, while making social choices and actions, as essential components of a particular technological system. We have used the theoretical perspective of social representation of technology (Lemonnier, 1992:4), since it facilitates understanding and systematizing the knowledge, skills and experience of the panaquireña women. With this we intend to demonstrate the importance of women in cocoa production, since they are the ones who give social cohesion to this production process. This research is based on fieldwork conducted in Panaquire, between 2010 and 2013, where we applied methodological tools such as participant observation and open and semi-structured interviews of older women of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]