Meanings of health care practices in the initiation ritual of candomblé de Ketu

Abstract

This article presents the results of a qualitative research that aimed to investigate the meanings about health care practices within the initiation rituals in the Ketu candomblé terrariums produced by parents / mothers of santo de Manaus / AM in order to problematize non - hegemonic practices of health care, as well as to recognize the legitimacy of these processes. Semistructured interviews were used as a data production instrument, in which four parents / mothers of the Ketu root Candomblé participated. The study is anchored in the theoretical framework of Historical-Cultural Psychology. The results explain the meanings of fathers / mothers of saints considering the historical dimension of health care in the ritual of initiation. Semantic categories were brought by participants: ideas of contamination and transmission as reflections of hygienist perspectives; understanding of the importance of blood as an element of both axes and contamination; the responsibility of the father of santo in the process of care and possible contaminations; the care with the social representations about the house of saint, focusing on the issues of contamination and care. The meanings constructed by the participants express themselves in multiple and complex ways, demanding that one have a close look at the religiosity of African matrix and its social insertion, marked by tensions that can contribute with advances to its understanding, in the religious field, health and science.