A CURA ATRAVÉS DA FÉ

UM OLHAR SOBRE AS BENZEDEIRAS/REZADEIRAS ALAGOANAS

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze and understand how the trades of blessing and / or prayer are currently expressed in the state of Alagoas - metropolitan region - based on the mapping carried out by the Project for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage of Alagoas developed by IPHAN - Instituto do Patrimônio National History and Artistic. This has as methodology the National Inventory of Cultural References - INRC and its objective is to identify, document and register cultural goods of an immaterial nature to meet the demand for the recognition and official registration of goods representative of the cultural plurality of constituent groups of Brazilian society.

For the development of this activity, the information obtained in loco in the municipalities of Marechal Deodoro, Estrela de Alagoas, Dois Riachos and in the capital Maceió was compiled, capturing the information through interviews and audiovisual records about the studied crafts in question. Pre-existing official mappings, as well as new goods identified by local populations in the Nordestanças research group at the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL) during the years 2014 to 2015 also support this work.

Through the information gathered, it was observed the need to highlight the existence of a follow-up of women who, through the exercise of faith, help the sick, experience and perpetuate the blessing and prayers in contemporary times. In addition, a photographic exhibition was held in April 2017 at the Museum of Image and Sound - MISA, in Maceió, as a way to update and reconnect the population of these crafts, in addition to aiming at the zeal and safeguarding of this intangible heritage, valuing culture popular from Alagoas and alternative local medicinal practices.

Keywords: Blessing; cure; popular culture; alternative medicine; faith