The Jarê Curator

Traditional Knowledge and Practices in Chapada Diamantina

Abstract

This article derives from initial research for the multidisciplinary and multi-institutional doctoral program in the dissemination of knowledge about Jarê, a religion that occurs exclusively in some municipalities of Chapada Diamantina, central region of the State of Bahia/Brazil. There are few studies on the subject, which are marked by an understanding of Jarê linked to concepts that say nothing about the religious practice, namely, “African matrix” or “Afro-indigenous”. This study aims to present some aspects of that religious manifestation, more specifically the figure of the healer, the spiritual leader of religion, to whom its adherents turn to deal with the ills of the body and the spirit, through their knowledge and practices. So, in this paper, we present some initial reflections, partial observations of some religious ceremonies, bibliographic review and document analysis, through which Jarê is presented as a genuinely Brazilian religion. Although it brings aspects present in cultures of other peoples and religions, the Jarê, as well as all practices and customs, was built and re-signified by the subjects, based on their interactions, affective and symbolic bonds, their daily actions and knowledge, intertwined with the history and memory of the place. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to making Jarê a practice that can be understood and translated to society as a whole.