Práticas de cuidado tradicionais e saúde mental dos povos indígenas

Abstract

This study analyzes the traditional care practices of Indigenous peoples and their contributions to mental health within the scope of the Unified Health System (SUS). It begins with the recognition that the Indigenous conception of health extends beyond the absence of disease, encompassing a balance between body, spirit, community, territory, and nature. In this context, the study critically examines the predominance of the Western biomedical model, which often disregards the ancestral knowledge and cultural specificities of Indigenous peoples. The general objective is to analyze traditional practices related to Indigenous mental health, highlighting rituals, spirituality, the use of medicinal plants, oral narratives, and the strengthening of community bonds. Methodologically, this is a qualitative study based on bibliographic and documentary research, employing content analysis. The results indicate that integrating public health policies with traditional knowledge can contribute to strengthening care practices that are more inclusive, intercultural, and grounded in specific territories. The study concludes that the effective implementation of Indigenous psychosocial care requires recognizing cultural autonomy, respecting Indigenous cosmologies, and overcoming institutional practices marked by coloniality.