Saberes e práticas populares em saúde: um estudo sobre raizeiros(as) do mercado municipal de Araguaína/TO

Abstract

The study aimed to comprehend the knowledges and popular practices of the raizeiros within the health territory, analyzing the origin and succession of their knowledge, as well as their insertion within the health territory. Therefore, the participant-research method was used, with a qualitative approach, using a semi-structured interview as an instrument of data collection. Four raizeiros(as) who operate on the premises of the Municipal Market of Araguaína/TO participated in the research. Their narratives outlined the contours of the research. Based on the collected data, some authors grounded the discussion, such as Geertz (1997 and 2008), Saquet (2007 and 2019), Santos (1989, 2007 and 2008), among others. In face of that, it was evident that the raizeiro's popular knowledge in health has an important magnitude, especially due to the diversity of their knowledge. It was highlighted that the family context is the main environment for the transmission of knowledge about natural remedies, mainly through orality. Furthermore, power relations within the health territory in the interaction between popular and scientific knowledge were emphasized. The raizeiros(as) are marginalized within this territory and their knowledge is not properly recognized, with consequences, among others: the inferiorization of natural remedies to the detriment of allopathic medicines, the devaluation of popular knowledge, the lack of access to land, exclusion from participation in events involving public health, exclusion from membership in health councils, the disproportionate health surveillance, the lack of labor structure, the lack of public policies and the lack of sanitary support.