Leczenie chorób ludowych za pomocą roślin przez Polonię argentyńską z Misiones

Abstrakt

Folk illnesses, also known as culture-bound syndromes, are cultural constructs specific to local groups or regions. They are part of the traditional worldview. They are often associated with local belief systems and their treatment usually consists of rituals / magical procedures and the use of aromatic plants. Folk illnesses do not have exact equivalents in biomedical nosology. From the biomedical point of view they are not diseases in the strict sense, but a group of loosely connected symptoms. Although researchers have mainly concentrated on charm healing and magical practices related to folk illnesses, in recent years very interesting contributions underlying the vital role of plants in prevention and treatment of culture-bound syndromes have also appeared. This article is an attempt to provide new information about plants used for protection against the evil eye and the treatment of empacho, fuego de San Antonio and susto among the Polish community living in Misiones, Argentina. This community is a result of an organized migration of Polish peasants who left Poland during the interwar period (1936-1938) and settled in the subtropics of Misiones. They have had extensive contact with the Mestizo population (called Criollos), originating from Paraguay. Healing with charms and the treatment of folk illnesses is a very important medicinal practice among the Paraguayan Mestizos. It is likely that the practices related to folk illnesses brought from Poland by the migrants have been strengthened by contact with the Mestizos from Paraguay. Experience in the diagnosis and treatment of folk illnesses had a positive effect on the adoption of new culture-bound syndromes such as empacho and fuego de San Antonio by the Polish community.