Saúde, doença e cura em cultos umbandistas: estudo de caso em um terreiro de umbanda na cidade de Juiz de Fora

Abstract

This research aims to examine the relationship between prevention, treatment and cure of diseases — physical, mental and spiritual —, from the action of unofficial religious therapeutic represented by Umbandists knowledge, within the Umbanda’s Terreiro Cabana do Pai Tobias (Father Tobias’ Hut), in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. Besides that, I seek to identify the behavior of the goers and the terreiro leaders, related to the disease’s issue, health and seek of healing, also trying to comprehend how the terreiro members understand these concepts. I developed over two years are search field based on participant observation, records in field journal, plus sixteen semi-structured interviews with mediums and goers, and systematic readings of several authors, experts on the subject of my study. I observed the ritual activities of cure of the terreiro, with emphasis on the work of Mãe de Santo (Mother of Saints) and mediums, seeking a comprehension of the effect of these rituals over the people of saints and other goers. I noticed that this terreiro translates it’s religious thought into a set of symbolic representations that aim actions to the cure of several diseases and many other imbalances that affect its leaders and goers. Besides that the disease is perceived by them as something much more complex than a physical or mental harm that needs to be treated: it is a disorder more complex, derived from spiritual factors and individual behaviors and thoughts. The hosting and the listening are really important in the formation of the support network to those who seek therapeutic-magic-religious assistance in the terreiro and, the religious action is focused on the healing of spiritual and non-spiritual diseases and their prevention.