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Curative medicines of plant origin

The sabedoreshave a profound knowledge of the plants in the tropical
forest. They have their own methods of identification, which they describe
as identifying the energy of the plant – its power to heal. Identification
includes observation, touching, smelling and tasting the plant. The location,
identification and collection of the plants require great concentration.
An infinite number of curative plants can be collected from the forest,
but the most commonly used are planted very near to the houses to be avail-
able for frequent use; others are planted together with the ritual and edible
plants in the chagras.^13 The close proximity of medicinal and ritual plants to
homes is also believed to protect the inhabitants from negative energies and
‘enemies’.
The time of collection of medicinal plants is considered to be important
and depends on when the plants are sensed to be more powerful or have
positive energy to heal. In general the ethnic groups in Amazonia use their
medicinal plants fresh because they consider them to have more healing
power than when dried. In many cases the plants are used directly in the
forest (Figure 4.8). When available the indigenous groups will use western
medicine to treat fractures. However, due to the remote location of many of
the communities, the sabedoresuse the bark of certain trees as a splint
which they say heals the bone as well as acting as an analgesic.

Examples of traditional

curative plant medicines

Among the enormous number of

plants, below are included a few of

those used by sabedores from

different tribes in the Amazon

forest.

Amori(Uitoto language)

Preparation

The Amori tree, which has not

been botanically identified, is

found in primary forest. The part

used medicinally is the sap which is

collected by making a cut in the

bark and allowing it to flow

(Figure 4.9) (interview 2 in the

addendum).

Traditional medicine used in the Colombian Amazon forest | 75

Figure 4.8 SabedorMarceliano Jékonai-
Guerrero (Uitoto Muina) applying drops
from a fine liana directly into his eye, YarÌ,
Caquéta medio, Amazon tropical forest,
Colombia, 1996.