The cultural significance of use of caatinga plants by Quilombolas of the Raso Catarina, Jeremoabo district, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

One of the ways that blacks in Brazil created to confront the regime of slavery was the formation of "quilombos". This study aimed to determine the value of local plant species used in the "quilombolas" of Jeremoabo district located in northeastern Bahia, especially the Brazilian species from the caatinga environment. Data collection was made through semi-structured interviews and free lists. The people interviewed cited 86 species that are distributed in ten use categories: medicinal, ritual or religious, building, food, fuel, veterinarian, honey, fodder, marketing and handicrafts. The five especies that had the largest local value in descending order were: Gochnatia oligocephala (candeia), Myrcia sp. (araçá), Schinus terebinthifolius (aroeira), Hymenaea courbaril (jatobá), Mimosa tenuiflora (jurema-preta). The results of this research, especially the plant species of highest local value identified, can be applied in environmental restoration programs of degraded areas, agroforestry design and environmental education in the local schools.