AMAZONIANA XII (l): l0l - ll8 Kiel, Juni 1992 Food taboos and folk medicine among fishermen from the Tocantins River (Brazil) by Alpina Begossi- and Francisco Manoel de Souza Braga Dr. Alpina Begossi, Departamento de Ecologia, IB, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, C.P. 68020, 21941Rio de Janeiro, RI, Brazil. Prof. Dr. Francisco Manoel de Souza Braga, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulisø, C.P. 179, 13.500 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil. (Accepted for publicatian: August, 1990). Abstract Fish utilization for food and folk medicine, and fish preference of families from the Tocantins river were studied. Questionnaires werc used in the 234 interviews performed in cities, towns and scatteres houses located along 100 km of river stretch. Curimatí (Prochilodtu nigricans) is the most consumed fish and pacu-manteiga (Mylossorna duriventre) ¡he most preferred species. The fish species avoided are correlated with the species used in folk medicine (r, = 0,54, p < 0.02). Food t¡boos, orfish species not consumed during illness, are also cited. The usefulness of fish species for folk medicine and the piscivorous habits of most fish quoted as not consumed partially explain the food choices of fishermen. These explanations conform to materialist theories in cultural ecology. Keywords: DIeÇ food teboog ñshlng communitleq Brezll, Rlo Toc¡ntins. Introduction Food preferences and avoidances have been a subject of many studies in Anthro- pology and Human Ecology. MESSER (1984) reviewed some of these studies and factors involved in the fmd choice of human populations. The avoidances of some food by people are considered to be based on ideological criteria (SAHLINS 1976) or on materialist reasons (HARRIS L977,1985). The ideologi- cal view considers that cultural patterns are arbitrary and derive from the human mind (ROSS 1987). Thus, we need to understand the internal logic of culturally specific symbol systems (BASSO 1978). The materialist point of view considers tho costs and ' Present address: NEPAÌví/IJMCAMP, C. P. I170, BR-13081 Campias, SP, Brazil. ISSN 0065675511992t1011 @ MPI fü¡ Limnologie, AG Tropenökologie, Plön; INPA, Manaus 101 benefits involved in any decision making process, including food choices. For example, HARRIS (1985), based mainly on ecological and economical principles, explained why cor¡/s are avoided as food in India, why dogs are usually not eaten by Westerners and why insects are eaten and considered very østy by a variety of other human populations. A R,A As summarized by HARRIS (1987), food habits are explained by the idealist approach " /,/ as consequence of culture and by the materialist criæria by environmental, demographic, technological and political-economic factors. Food avoidances, or food taboos, have also been interpreted as a way of minimizing fhe overexploitation of certain animals G.OSS I MPERÂÎâ I Z r978). STATE This study focuses on fish preferences and avoidances of fisherman families on the 4æ V¡Rar.¡¡]ÃO Tocantins river, in Brazil. Our aim is to analyze fish utilization and understand why STATE some available fish are eaten where¿¡s others are rejected as food. In this study we use the terms "fish avoided" for species of fish which are usually not consumed and "fish a L^JË^OO taboos" for species of fish not consumed during illness. TOCANTIN9 Methodology STATE The study sites include cities, small towns and riverine settlements loc¡ted in the banks of the Tocantins river, between the cities of Imperatriz and Estreito. The extension of the area is abor¡t 100 km and it is located in the States of Mara¡rhão and Tocantins. Fieldwork included mainly interviews with fishermen and their wives, and was performed in altemate months from October 1987 to June 1988. The cities and towns studied at the Tocantins river are shown in figure l Imperatri", Porto Franco, Tocantinópolis and Estreito are considered. as "cities" and ltaguatins, Descarreto and lajeato.as "towns". Fig. 1: Riverine fishermen were sampled in both sides of the river. Map including the cities and towns studied. 1. Interviews lnterviews were based on questiørnaires. A preliminary questionnaire was prepared before going into the 2. Fish identification field and tested in the first visit. The, secqrd questionnaire focused on, among others, fish food øboos a¡rd fish Prof. J. C. CARAVELLO (Universidade Federal de São Carlos) collected and identified fish specimens, medicinal uses. Inten¡iews were performed panianlarly with fishermen. Wives were asked about rheir literacy, and checked many of them with fishermen. Prof. M. PETRERE Jr., from the Universidade Esødual Paulista, number of children and age. They also participated in questians about diet, food taboos and medicinal animals. contributed useful information. A list of common and scientific names of fish are in BEGOSSI & Wqnen were found to react more cørfortably than men in answering about food taboos as well as in quoting GARAVELLO (r990). medicinal animals. This probably occurs because women take care of children and prepare folk medicine at home. In the case of a fisherman's absence, the questionnaire was applied to his wife. The family was the unit 3. Fish feeding habits of study. Fish feeding habits werc observed through the analysis of stomach contents and through the literature. The "Colônias de pescadores" (fishermen's associatiurs) of Imperatriz and Estreito helped in estimating Unfortunately, there are cønparatively few studies on feeding habits of Br¿zilian fresh water fish. This kind the number of fishermen from each city and in locaring their residences. The affilation files were also of information for specific species was taken from BRITSKI (1972), NOMURA (1975), NOMURA et al. consulted, Three kinds of sampling methods were carried out, deper,ding upon the size of the settlements: (1981), NOMURA & NEMOTO (1983), NOMURA & TAVEIRA (1979), NOMURA et al. (1983), CATELLA a) cities - fisherman hor.¡ses were located after informal interviews with fishermen at the main harbor and & TORRES (1984), MOURÃO & TORRES (1984) and GOULDING & FERREIRA (1984). Trre dier of a after consulting the affiliation files of the "Colônias". Fishermen were found to live clustered in specific group of species of specific regiors were found in intemal reports, such as INPA/ÏLETRONORTE (1980/83), localities, usually close to the river. Interviews were undertaken in fishermen's homes orat the main harbor. IAIPU-BINACIONAL (1987) and ELETRONORTE/THEMAG (1987/89). Descripions of trophic interactiørs b) towns - these are small settlements, with fifteen thousands inhabiønts or less. Children and other among fishes and other organisms in the Amazon area were found in LOWE-McCONNEL (1975) and memþn of fisherman families helped in the location of residences. GOULDING (1980). General food habits of fresh water Brazilian fish and folk habits and beliefs are in c) riverine settlements - These include houses scattered along the banks of the Tocantins river. \ile used SANTOS (1962). motor boats of 25 and 45 HP. Houses werc sited f¡qn the boat and famfies from the first three consecutive houses interviewed; the next was skipped. By. this method, we tried to sample 75 lo of the fisherman families living along the river banks. Farmers werc not included, uriless they mentioned any kind of subsistence fishing. r02 103 Results Tab. 1: lnterviews with fisherman families performed in the area of study; 'localities in the surroundings of Imperatriz: fishermen in this 1. Study site description and interviews category were interviewed in the market "O Povo Merece", during Imperatriz is the largest city snrdied (Table 1). Afær the construction of the fish landings; " source: IBGE @razilian Institute of Geography and Belém-Brasilia and São Luis-Imperatriz highways, migrants from many Brazilian states Suristics)(1987); "' rough estimarion of rhe number of fishermen came to Imperatriz (AROSO & LIMA 1984). Migration was suong during 1960-70, and (urban areas) from the Colônias de pescadores (fishermen's associa- contributed to the growth and commercial development of Imperatriz (KATZMAN trøs) Z-29 (Itnpe¡uriz) md Z-35 @streito). 1975). Fishermen of Imperatriz are locaæd in the vicinities of the market "O Povo Merece" (where hsh is sold to buyers). Most streets near fisherman houses are unpaved and houses are made of wood or are huts with mud walls. l,ocality Numbcr o? Tot¡l Number of Descarreto is found at the periphery of ltaguatins. It consists mainly of an uncovered Intervlews Populrtlon" Flshermen (thousends) main street, where huts made of stra'rvs or mud are found as well as a small church. Dry c') leaf palms are collecæd from the babaçú palm (Orbignya martiana) which is a very common palm tree in this region. It is used for roofs and walls. Imperatriz 52 235 Lajeado is near Lajeado a small town found the Belém-Brasilia highway and the Descarreto t7 15 T river. Porto Franco and Tocantinópolis are located at the Tocantins river banks, in Itaguatins 19 opposite sides. A ferry boat connects these cities. As in the other settlements, fisherman Lajeado l4 2 houses are found near the river banks, living in uncovered streets and in houses made Porto Franco 6 27 10 of straw or mud. Tocantinópolis 23 3t 40 The number of interviews are found in Table l. About 60 Vo of interviewed people Estreio 26 18 1 of both sexes are illiterate (including functional illiteraæs). Vy'omen have in average 4 Riverine 57 to 5 child¡en. Commercial fishermen are found mainly at Imperatriz, Porto Franco, Other' 20 Tocantinópolis and Esreito. In towns, such as Itaguatins, Descarreúo and lajeado, we Total found both commercial and part-time fishermen-peasants (or subsistence fishermen). 234 Riverine fishermen are usually fishermen-peasants. These categories tend ¡o use different fishing technologies. Commercial hshermen use motor boats and a variety of nets. Sub- sistence fishermen use paddled canoes, small nets and hook and line techniques Figure 4 shows the fish prefened as food by hshermen families.