TRATANDO DOENÇAS DA ALMA: ETNOBOTÂNICA URBANA

Maria Hortencia  Borges dos Santos; Juliana Cardozo de Farias; Irlaine Rodrigues Vieira; Roseli Farias Melo de Barros

Maria Hortencia Borges dos Santos Mestre em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente – PRODEMA – UFPI
Juliana Cardozo de Farias Mestre em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente – PRODEMA – UFPI
Irlaine Rodrigues Vieira Doutora em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente – PRODEMA – UFPI
Roseli Farias Melo de Barros Universidade Federal do Piauí

Keywords: Brazil, commercialization, Parnaíba, public markets, rituals

Abstract

The loss of knowledge related to scientific advancement, health services and globalization can lead to the disuse of local ritualistic practices, especially in urban areas. This fact suggests that socio-cultural transformations may cause the disappearance of practices and knowledge related to soul healing. In this way, we sought to raise the ritualistic plants sold by permissionaires in public markets in Parnaíba, Piauí, and to verify the origin of the plants and traditional knowledge, in addition to exposing the functions conferred to the species, considering the practices used. This research was approved and supported by the Ethics and Research Committee (CEP) of the Federal University of Piauí (UFPI), under number 2,975,850, and registered on the platform of the National Management System for Genetic Heritage and Traditional Knowledge (SISGEN – N°. ABB2F8B). The research was carried out in the city of Parnaíba, Piauí, developed with 34 permissionaires who work in the city’s public markets. The commercialized plants were collected on “guided tours”, identified and incorporated into the collection of the Herbarium Graziela Barroso (TEPB) of the Federal University of Piauí (UFPI). 23 species were reported, distributed in 13 families. The Lamiaceae family was predominant, and the leaf was the most mentioned (36.72%), followed by the whole plant (27.30%), bark / bulb / flower (10.40% each), and seed (4.78%). The baths were the most representative (53%), followed by protection rituals (21%), absorption of bad energies (14%), removal of negative energies (6%) and sympathy (6%). Commercialized plants are purchased in backyards (65.9%) and purchased from suppliers (34.1%), sold fresh (84%) and dried (16%). Exotic ritualistic species 74.68% were predominant in the study. The present study showed the use of magical-religious plants sold by permissionaires, also used as condiments (10), revealing that traditional knowledge is also inserted in public markets.