Biocultural behavior and traditional practices on the use of species of Euphorbiaceae in rural home gardens of the Semiarid Region of Piauí State (NE, Brazil)

Siqueira, Jorge Izaquiel Alves de; Vieira, Irlaine Rodrigues; Chaves, Edna Maria Camelo; Diago, Olga Lucia Sanabria; Lemos, Jesus Rodrigues

doi:10.15446/caldasia.v42n1.76202

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(34 reference statements)

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“…The contribution in increasing the interaction between humans and the plant resources of this community is clear, expressed in biocultural attitudes and/or behaviors by both men and women living in this area. Although in this community the role of the female gender stood out in the collection and preparation of home remedies based on the use of medicinal plants [29,31,32], the men play an important role when women and/or adolescents are in menstruating period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the most important characteristics that represents the way of life of the Franco rural community is the presence of homegardens, spaces around and/or close to homes where a high diversity of plant species are cultivated, especially for food and medicinal purposes [29,31,32]. These spaces, the homegardens, are important landscapes of biocultural signi cance for the Franco rural community [32].…”

Section: Characterization Of the Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Menstruating Taboo is Structuring and Shaping the Human Behavior in the Harvesting of Medicinal Plants in a Semiarid Landscape in Brazil

Siqueira¹,

Senna-Valle²,

Chaves³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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BackgroundThis article presents, from a biocultural perspective, a menstruating taboo related to the touching, harvesting and preparation of home remedies based on the use of medicinal plants in a rural community located in a semiarid landscape of Cocal municipality, Piauí state, Northeastern Brazil. MethodsMethods used include participant observation and semi-structured interviews performed with 27 local people (21 female and six male) that recognized a taboo regarding the menstruating cycle and the harvesting of medicinal plants in Franco rural community, Cocal, Piauí, Northeastern Brazil. Semi-structured interviews were used to document data regarding the profile of research participants, their perceptions about the taboo documented, as well as the social and biocultural implications of the execution of this traditional practice of prohibition. Participant observation was conducted in order to grasp a better understanding of the social and biocultural implications of the taboo. Additionally, a photographic record was kept during this stage.ResultsIt was verified in Franco rural community that female adolescents and/or women in their menstruating period were prohibited from touching, harvesting and/or preparing home remedies based on the use of medicinal plants. Research participants believed that this can cause the death of medicinal plants, or that they lose their medicinal properties. This taboo has serious social and biocultural implications locally, and can be structured firstly as maladaptive of cultural information at the individual level, as it inhibits the ability of menstruating women to take care of themselves and the health of their families, and secondly as an adaptative strategy at the group level among its users (promotes the transmission of knowledge and cooperation among its users). This traditional practice has serious positive implications for maintaining local bioculturality, sustainability of local medical systems and women's health.ConclusionThis taboo documented within the Franco community is an important informal institution with great influence on human biocultural behavior. The inclusion of these perspectives on taboos in biocultural studies offers opportunities for a greater understanding of biocultural attitudes related to interactions between the human species/biota and the environment in a complex knowledge system.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Characterization Of the Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

A Menstruating Taboo is Structuring and Shaping the Human Behavior in the Harvesting of Medicinal Plants in a Semiarid Landscape in Brazil

Siqueira¹,

Senna-Valle²,

Chaves³

et al. 2021

Preprint

Self Cite

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Do socioeconomic factors and local human preference determine the hybridization of knowledge in local medical systems?

de Siqueira,

Soldati,

Ferreira-Júnior

et al. 2024

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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Background Hybridization between the local medical systems (LMSs) and biomedicine has been the focus of different studies in ethnobiology, primarily due to the increasing access to biomedicine by indigenous peoples and local communities. Studies on hybridization allow for an understanding of the process of developing and evolving local knowledge systems. In this study, we propose a hybridization score to determine how individuals’ socioeconomic characteristics and preference between LMS and biomedicine determine the complementarity of therapeutic options. Methods We conducted semistructured interviews and applied free listing technique in a rural community in Northeast Brazil to assess the treatments the local population sought and which were preferred. Results Our analyses showed that the level of schooling was the socioeconomic factor that negatively affected the hybridization process. Individuals with higher levels of schooling tended to prefer LMS strategies less and, consequently, showed a lower probability of hybridizing the two systems. Additionally, older people who preferred LMS strategies showed a greater tendency to adopt hybridization in human health-seeking behavior. Conclusions Our findings provide further evidence of the complementarity between different medical systems and demonstrate that socioeconomic factors can affect local knowledge and are responsible for differences in individual propensity to hybridize distinct medical systems. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13002-024-00722-8.

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New Insights from Solanum fernandesii (Solanaceae)

Siqueira,

Menezes,

Sampaio

et al. 2023

Rev. Bras. Geog. Fis.

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Solanum fernandesii is an unusual and important species of the genus Solanum, and it is the only known species within Solanum that has a petiolar gland. We provide new insights for this species endemic to Brazil, including a new record for the state of Piauí, Northeastern Brazil. S. fernandesii is distributed in the states of Piauí, Ceará, Bahia, Alagoas, Minas Gerais, and Pernambuco. Based on the use of online tools and field observations, its conservation status is classified as Least Concern for the Extension of Occurrence (754.583,610 km2) and Endangered for the Area of Occupancy (68.000 km2). We emphasize that serrated leaf margins, the presence of a petiole gland, and the shape of the calyx of fruits and seeds are important characteristics for the delimitation of this species. Taxonomic notes, field images, comments, and identification key for species of the genus Solanum in the study area are presented. Key words: Caatinga, Flora of Piauí, Gardneri Clade, Petiolar glands.

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Biocultural behavior and traditional practices on the use of species of Euphorbiaceae in rural home gardens of the Semiarid Region of Piauí State (NE, Brazil)

Cited by 4 publications

References 46 publications

A Menstruating Taboo is Structuring and Shaping the Human Behavior in the Harvesting of Medicinal Plants in a Semiarid Landscape in Brazil

A Menstruating Taboo is Structuring and Shaping the Human Behavior in the Harvesting of Medicinal Plants in a Semiarid Landscape in Brazil

Do socioeconomic factors and local human preference determine the hybridization of knowledge in local medical systems?

New Insights from Solanum fernandesii (Solanaceae)

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