Saberes etnobotânicos no Assentamento Vida Nova/Aragão em Miraíma-CE

Abstract

This research consists of verifying the ethnobotanical knowledge in the Vida Nova/Aragão rural settlement located in the City of Miraíma, mesoregion of northwestern Ceará. The settlers have immeasurable ethnobotanical knowledge, passed from generation to generation. Therefore, this research proposes an action to systematize the ethnobotanical knowledge of some of these ethnospecies with the help of the literature, in order to raise awareness about the care for nature, and its importance. Ethnobotany studies the knowledge of a particular ethnic group of plant species in the environment in which they live. For this, three forms were proposed, applied to two age groups in the settlement. The first form refers to ethnospecies for food purposes; the second, about medicinal plants; finally, the third form, focused on toxic and/or repellent ethnospecies. As for the results, 44 species showed food purposes; 21 have medicinal purposes; three toxic species and one repellent species, totaling 65 species. Specifically, 25 native, 38 exotic and two unknown. Ethnospecies are also used as material for handicrafts, production of flours and gums, construction, shade formation, ornaments and ornaments. It is concluded that the ethnobotanical knowledge of the settled families has strong traditional and cultural characteristics, however, the area is still poorly explored academically. Therefore, this research aims to explore the concepts of ethnobotany and to systematize the ethnoknowledge of settled families.