Guinea
PETIVERIA ALLIACEAE L.
Origin CARIBBEAN, TROPICAL AMERICA
Active ingredient PITIVERINE
MEDICINAL, POLITICAL use
The use of medicinal plants was common among enslaved Africans in Brazil. Guinea, used by women to treat illnesses and protection rituals, combined bodily and spiritual healing. Its antispasmodic properties, when used for too long, caused lethargy and even death. For this reason, it was called "amansa-senhor", symbolizing the resistance of the enslaved against Portuguese domination.
Other plants
References:
joaobidu. "Learn about the mystical benefits of guinea and how to use them." Terra. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://www.terra.com.br/vida-e-estilo/horoscopo/conheca-os-beneficios-misticos-da-guine-e-como-usa-los,cc7ac7b66b552c5382ef5434c3565547yq07dgpw.html.
Pimenta, Tânia Salgado. "Cures, rituals and taming with plants among slaves and freedmen in Rio de Janeiro between 1810 and 1850." Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi. Human Sciences 17 (May 4, 2022): e20210076. https://doi.org/10.1590/2178-2547-BGOELDI-2021-0076.