The Testimony of Dona Marta
In a landscape of dry and deforested mountains around her home, Marta Xavier de Oliveira, known as Dona Marta, remembered when that area was a dense forest. At 87 years old, Dona Marta, an indigenous leader of the Kariri-Sapuyá people, shared with Mongabay her memories about the importance of the forest for the health of her people.
“When we got sick, it was from there that we took our medicine”, said Dona Marta, pointing to the deforested mountains. Beside her, in her backyard, grows an embaúba tree (Cecropia pachystachya), used to treat diabetes and prostate problems. The embaúba is just one of several medicinal plants that Dona Marta cultivated in her ancestral land, located in the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil.
The Loss of Biodiversity
Unfortunately, many of these medicinal plants have disappeared from the region over the decades, due to the invasion of outsiders who deforested the forest to create pastures for cattle. Dona Marta cited a specific example: the puaia, used to treat snake bites, plague — a disease that, according to the elders, includes fever, headaches and leaves the whole body twisted — and several other diseases.
“It was there in the forest”, said Dona Marta, pointing to the deforested mountains. “It disappeared”.
The Legacy of Dona Marta
On December 27, 2025, Dona Marta passed away, but her knowledge remains alive today in a study published in the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethomedicine, which cites her. The article is written by indigenous ethnobotanist Hemerson Dantas dos Santos Pataxó HãHãHãi and Eliana Rodrigues, professor and coordinator of ethnobotany.
The Importance of Indigenous Knowledge
The study highlights the importance of indigenous knowledge for the conservation of biodiversity and the development of new medicines. The loss of biodiversity and traditional knowledge is a serious problem that affects not only indigenous communities but also society as a whole.
What Happens Next
It is essential that measures are taken to protect biodiversity and indigenous knowledge. This includes creating conservation programs that involve indigenous communities and recognizing their rights over lands and natural resources.
Conclusions
The legacy of Dona Marta is an important reminder of the importance of indigenous knowledge and the need to protect biodiversity. It is essential that we continue to work to preserve the rich cultural and environmental heritage of indigenous communities, so that we can learn from them and ensure a more sustainable future for all.
Source / Reference
This article was originally published on Mongabay.