PHOTOETHNOGRAPHY OF CERAMIC CRAFTSMEN FROM TERESINA, PIAUÍ, BRAZIL

The record of the social and cultural aspects that lead the human being to use the natural resources has gained evidence in the last decades. The present article aimed to describe the existing techniques in the production chain of the artisans of the Ceramic Pole of Poti Velho, PI, as well as to record the artifacts produced by the manufacture of red clay. The data collection involved semi-structured interviews, the participant observation technique to resolve doubts about the peculiarities of the production chain, as well as photographic record of the production stages. We observed the existence of criteria to determine the best craftsmen within the community, as well as influences that not only divides the activities between craftsmen by gender, but also those that led to changes in the techniques of production and artifacts produced by artisans

The Use of Medicinal Plants by Migrant People: Adaptation, Maintenance, and Replacement

Given the importance of studying the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of migrant communities to understand the dynamics of plant resource use, we reviewed the scientific literature concerning the use of medicinal plants by migrant populations engaged in international or long-distance migrations. We considered the importance of two processes: (1) adaptation to the new flora of the host country (i.e., substitution and incorporation of plants in the pharmacopoeia) and (2) continued use and acquisition of the original flora from migrants' home countries (i.e., importation, cultivation, and/or continued use of plants that grow in both host and home environments). We suggest that, depending on the specific context and conditions of migration, different processes that determine the use and/or selection of plants as herbal medicines may become predominant

Aspectos que Influenciam a Escolha de Locais de Coleta por Extrativistas de Macaúba no Cerrado Brasileiro

The extractive communities of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) create preferences for collection sites based on accessibility, transport time and search, better quality and greater availability of resources. Among the species that supply NTFPs with a range of uses and with wide distribution, the macaúba palm (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart.). Thus, a study was carried out in a location in the Cerrado with the objective of investigating the factors considered in the choice of collection sites by the people who extract the fruits. To this end, an ethnobotanical study was carried out with the community and two palm tree populations were evaluated in forest and pasture, regarding the population structure and fruit morphometry. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with extractivists and plots were set up in a forest and pasture environment, where the macauba individuals were classified into ontogenetic stages and the fruits and almonds were weighed. 23 macauba extractives were interviewed. All said that the main interest in the plant resides in the almond and that they prefer to collect heavier fruits and in areas with more open vegetation, such as cattle ranches, not distinguishing differences between the populations of the palm. The population structure data of both plant populations demonstrated that there are no differences in the total number of individuals and in each ontogenetic stage. As for the morphometry of the fruits, the macaubas collected in the forest were heavier on average and provided more almonds, pointing out that the predilection for pasture may be linked to other aspects, such as easy access in this area to the detriment of the forest.As comunidades extrativistas de Produtos Florestais Não Madeireiros (PFNMs) criam preferências por locais de coleta baseadas na acessibilidade, tempo de transporte e busca, melhor qualidade e na maior disponibilidade dos recursos. Dentre as espécies fornecedoras de PFNMs com uma gama de utilidades e com ampla distribuição, destaca-se a palmeira macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart.). Desse modo, realizou-se estudo em localidade no Cerrado com o objetivo de investigar os fatores considerados na escolha de locais de coleta pelas pessoas que extraem os frutos. Para tal foi realizado estudo etnobotânico com a comunidade e avaliada duas populações da palmeira em mata e em pastagem, quanto à estrutura populacional e à morfometria dos frutos. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com os extrativistas e parcelas foram montadas em ambiente florestal e em pastagem, onde os indivíduos de macaúba foram classificados em estádios ontogenéticos e os frutos e amêndoas foram pesados. Foram entrevistados 23 extrativistas de macaúba. Todos afirmaram que o principal interesse pela planta reside na amêndoa e que preferem coletar frutos mais pesados e em áreas com vegetação mais aberta, como fazendas de gado, não distinguindo divergências entre as populações da palmeira. Os dados da estrutura populacional de ambas as populações de plantas demonstraram que não há diferenças quanto ao número total de indivíduos e em cada estádio ontogenético. Quanto à morfometria dos frutos, as macaúbas coletadas na mata apresentaram-se em média mais pesadas e proporcionaram mais amêndoas, assinalando que a predileção pela pastagem pode estar ligada a outros aspectos, como a facilidade de acesso nesta área em detrimento da floresta

Traditional pharmacopoeias : The role of medicinal plants in your constitutions, origin and maintenance in rural communities of the Brazilian Caatinga

Farmacopéias tradicionais são ―instituições sociais‖ imprescindíveis para a manutenção das sociedades tradicionais. Sua construção e manutenção sofrem influências multifatoriais que variam desde aspectos culturais como construção cultural da sociedade, religião predominante e até estrutura social, além de fatores ambientais como vegetação circundante, sazonalidade climática e disponibilidade de recursos. Durante a história, muitos sistemas médicos foram desenvolvidos por estas sociedades, e estes influenciaram a formação destas farmacopéias direcionando quais critérios seriam mais valiosos na seleção das plantas. Com o contato intercultural, muitas sociedades passaram a incorporar elementos exóticos, estas plantas exóticas, permitiram reformulações em sua composição de espécies para que houvesse uma manutenção das farmacopéias. Com isso, muitas foram as interpretações para a presença maciça destas. A importância de plantas exóticas com uso medicinal tem sido historicamente negligenciada por meio de interpretações simplistas sobre as causas de sua introdução em farmacopéias tradicionais, visto que, poucos são os trabalhos que se preocuparam em apontá-las nas listas etnoflorísticas, apenas desprezado-as nas análises. Muitas vezes, a presença de plantas exóticas em farmacopéias tradicionais é vista como um simples fenômeno de aculturação ou até mesmo como uma erosão de conhecimento.Entretanto, faz-se necessário compreender quais são os eventos da introdução e até mesmo da deleção de plantas medicinais por uma determinada cultura. Sabemos que as plantas exóticas têm uma importante contribuição em farmacopéias de sociedades tradicionais de todo o mundo, sendo talvez o elemento mais abundante. São interesses deste trabalho revisar as diferentes interpretações sobre os aspectos inerentes a construção e preservação de farmacopéias e a presença de plantas exóticas nelas.Traditional pharmacopoeias are "social institutions" essential for the maintenance of traditional societies. Its construction and maintenance suffer multifactorial influences ranging from cultural aspects as cultural construction of society, dominant religion and even social structure include environmental factors such as surrounding vegetation, climate and seasonal availability of resources. Throughout history, many medical systems were developed by these societies, and these influenced the formation of these pharmacopoeias directing criteria that would be most valuable in the selection of plants. With intercultural contact, many societies started to incorporate exotic plants for the maintenance of pharmacopoeias. Therefore, there were many interpretations of the massive presence of these. The importance of exotic plants with medicinal purpose has been historically neglected by simplistic interpretations of the causes of their introduction in traditional pharmacopoeias, since there are few papers that bothered to point them in the etnofloristic lists just ignored them in analysis. Often, the presence of exotic plants in traditional pharmacopoeias is seen as a simple phenomenon of acculturation, or even as an erosion of knowledge. However, it is necessary to understand what events that drive the introduction and even deletion of a medicinal plant by a particular culture. We know that exotic plants have an important contribution in pharmacopoeia of traditional societies around the world. Probably, these plants are the most abundant element. Objective of this study is to review the different interpretations on aspects related to construction of pharmacopoeias and the presence of exotic plants.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPE

What is the role of exotic medicinal plants in local medical systems? A study from the perspective of utilitarian redundancy

Medicinal plants are an important aspect of local medical systems. The composition of a medicinal plant collection is influenced by cultural and environmental factors. Additionally, the functionality of a local medical system can be threatened by the replacement of native species with exotic ones, as well as by cultural factors such as the erosion of knowledge. The objectives of this study are: 1) examine the composition of the medicinal plant collection of two rural communities settled in the caatinga (savanna-like vegetation) of the state of Pernambuco (Brazil); 2) observe the role of exotic plants in the local medical systems; and 3) identify the profile of the species utilized according to the Utilitarian Redundancy Model. Similarities were observed between the medicinal floras of the communities studied, emphasizing the importance of the surrounding biome within the possibilities of species selection, although exotic species appear to contribute by increasing the diversity of species considered in the communities to be medicinal. The native species act broadly among the body systems recognized in the two communities, whereas exotic species act in specific body systems, for which there are few associated native species