Dietary restrictions in healing among speakers of Iquito, an endangered language of the Peruvian Amazon

Dados Bibliográficos

ID4635752
AutoresKevin A Jernigan, Kevin Jernigan (0000-0002-8711-1082, University of Alaska Fairbanks, autor correspondente)
Ano2011
Volume7
Fascículo1
Páginas20-0
Data de publicação2011-12-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1746-4269 • E-ISSN: 1746-4269
EditoraSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1186/1746-4269-7-20
PMID21745400
PMCIDPMC3148960
OpenAlexW1988345723
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas9
Referências citadas32

BackgroundEthnobotanical research was carried out with speakers of Iquito, a critically endangered Amazonian language of the Zaparoan family. The study focused on the concept of "dieting" (siyan++niin Iquito), a practice involving prohibitions considered necessary to the healing process. These restrictions include: 1) foods and activities that can exacerbate illness, 2) environmental influences that conflict with some methods of healing (e.g. steam baths or enemas) and 3) foods and activities forbidden by the spirits of certain powerful medicinal plants. The study tested the following hypotheses: H1 - Each restriction will correlate with specific elements in illness explanatory models and H2 - Illnesses whose explanatory models have personalistic elements will show a greater number and variety of restrictions than those based on naturalistic reasoning.MethodsThe work was carried out in 2009 and 2010 in the Alto Nanay region of Peru. In structured interviews, informants gave explanatory models for illness categories, including etiologies, pathophysiologies, treatments and dietary restrictions necessary for 49 illnesses. Seventeen botanical vouchers for species said to have powerful spirits that require diets were also collected.ResultsAll restrictions found correspond to some aspect of illness explanatory models. Thirty-five percent match up with specific illness etiologies, 53% correspond to particular pathophysiologies, 18% correspond with overall seriousness of the illness and 18% are only found with particular forms of treatment. Diets based on personalistic reasoning have a significantly higher average number of restrictions than those based on naturalistic reasoning.ConclusionsDieting plays a central role in healing among Iquito speakers. Specific prohibitions can be explained in terms of specific aspects of illness etiologies, pathophysiologies and treatments. Although the Amazonian literature contains few studies focusing on dietary proscriptions over a wide range of illnesses, some specific restrictions reported here do correspond with trends seen in other Amazonian societies, particularly those related to sympathetic reasoning and for magical and spiritual uses of plants

Amazon rainforest · Biodiversity · Biology · Endangered species · Ethnology · Geography · Amazonian Archaeology and Ethnohistory · Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques · Culinary Culture and Tourism · Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond · History · Indigenous Health and Education · Insect Utilization and Effects · Ecology