"Updating tradition": on houses of health in the Baixo Amazonas

Abstract

In this article I will comment on the notion of tradition for two alternative health homes: Conquista de Ervas Medicinais Group and the Itauajuri Ervas Group, in Western Pará. These were created by the Health Pastoral of the Diocese of Santarém through the “Project pela evangelização”, 25 years ago, and had as objective to take treatments for the rural population, but today they attend mainly the urban zone. The "traditional" treatments that they offer have been elaborated from surveys of local practices, but also in the dialogue with medical conceptions, allopathic remedies, sanitary "standards". In this combination, the effectiveness of care is referred to the tradition of community surveys, but also the updating of their practices.