"Café de meia não deu nada, mas a macumba tem que dar”: Patrimônio Biocultural das plantas ritualísticas em terreiros de Umbanda em Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul"

Abstract

The relationship between humans and plants spans centuries of cultural, nutritional, and conservationist interactions, characterized by the practical use of vegetal resources. Regarding the uses related to the sacred, they manifest most expressively in religions, which incorporate these flora elements into their rituals. Biocultural heritage recognizes that the knowledge transmitted by different social groups about biodiversity is an integral part of their cultural identity while simultaneously contributing to the conservation of ecosystems. This study conducted a survey of plants used in Umbanda terreiros (temples), documenting the ethnobotanical knowledge associated with these species, investigating their magico-ritualistic use, understanding how knowledge about plants is transmitted, and whether this knowledge may be assisting in environmental preservation. The survey registered 98 botanical species, indicating the richness of knowledge surrounding Umbanda practices; the main magico-ritualistic use category was cleansing (descarrego) (47 spp.), evidencing that the most common use of these plants is energetic purification and spiritual balance. Cultivation within the terreiros is the best way to ensure the availability of plants for use in rituals and to promote in situ conservation, making it an efficient means for preservation.