Conhecimento etnobotânico das comunidades quilombolas do Sudeste do Brasil

Abstract

Quilombola communities have a history of ancestral wisdom associated with plant resources. Over the years, some communities may have their way of life and the link with plants affected, causing the erosion of old practices. Studies that record information about plants in these communities can contribute to the knowledge of biodiversity and visibility of local cultural elements. At first (chapter 1) this study aimed to identify and evaluate ethnobotanical studies carried out in quilombola communities in Southeastern Brazil. Subsequently (chapter 2), seeking to contribute to knowledge about these communities in the region, the study aimed to carry out an ethnobotanical survey in the Boa Esperança quilombo, Areal, Rio de Janeiro. For the evaluation of ethnobotanical studies in outheastern Brazil, the PRISMA recommendations were followed through a systematic review and meta-analysis. While the field survey was carried out through semi-structured interviews with ten Boa Esperança quilombo's resident, recording the plant species and characteristics associated with traditional knowledge. Through the systematic review, 14 studies that included 19 quilombos were considered to evaluate the characteristics and similarity of plants. The studies presented heterogeneous data and approaches, with concordance only in the survey of information on the gender and age of respondents. A total of 830 plant species were extracted, covering 131 botanical families, the most representative being Fabaceae (n = 106). The studies presented an expressive number of exclusive plants in the quilombos in relation to the total number of species (n = 549, 66%). Three significantly different groups were found on the studies, with plant similarities between 15 - 35%. The low number of ethnobotanical articles published in scientific journals in the region (n = 6) demonstrates an invisibility of local culture related to knowledge of plants. In the study carried out in Quilombo Boa Esperança, the interlocutors mentioned 99 species belonging to 43 botanical families, with Asteraceae being the most recurrent family (n = 9). Most plants are medicinal (n = 61) and food (n = 56). The most frequent indications for the use of plants were digestive system's diseases (n = 13), while the circulatory system's diseases had greater consensus among participants. Alternanthera brasiliana, Cunila microcephala, Mentha spicata and Plectranthus barbatus were the most representative species in terms of use, agreement and indication rates. The lack of interest in the use of plants by young people and the reduction of knowledge about the plants in the community was reported. Territorial conflicts and extensive struggles for rights in the quilombo seem to contribute to the reduced use of plants and the reproduction of traditional knowledge. In summary, the results found in both approaches demonstrate that the socialization of undocumented traditional knowledge is important so that local knowledge does not become lost over the years. This study provides a characterization of existing ethnobotanical studies in Southeastern Brazil and contributes to documenting the quilombola botanical knowledge and plant genetic heritage of the region.