Práticas da medicina tradicional no espaço urbano: seus factores de reprodução

Abstract

Traditional healers, also known as healers, are a reality in the urban contexts of Mozambique. Its action extends to several domains and its traditional medicine has been an alternative source for individuals seeking healing services. In this monograph we are concerned with analyzing “urban healers” and our main objective is to know how this same space influences the healing practices of healers. Our problem is based on the assumption that the urban space configures relationships and interactions that provide certain social phenomena. The existence and reproduction of healerism, in this case, would be related to the fact that in the city there are advertising means that enable the dissemination of the services that this group of professionals provides. In terms of results, we demonstrate and reach the conclusion that, in addition to the advertising factor, the healer is covered with symbolic capital that gives him legitimacy to deal with certain problems. Here we work with the structural-constructivist theory of Bourdieu (1998) and articulate three concepts: tradition, traditional medicine, healer and urban space. In methodological terms, the monograph results from the combination of the hypothetical-deductive approach and the monographic procedure, as well as the application of some research techniques, namely, direct observation, bibliographical research and interview