A rede do parto Baré no alto Rio Negro: agência compósita entre humanos e não humanos

Abstract

This study analyzes the practices and knowledge of Baré midwives in the Alto Rio Negro region, emphasizing their central role in the reproductive health of Indigenous communities. Based on an ethnographic approach, the research combines qualitative data obtained through interviews and field observations. The study engages with concepts from the anthropology of the body and personhood, exploring the manual techniques used by midwives and their connection to Indigenous cosmologies and ways of life. The findings reveal the political invisibility of Indigenous midwives within the humanized childbirth movement, despite their techniques often serving as inspiration for its practices. While this movement critiques obstetric violence and advocates for women’s empowerment in childbirth, it has yet to fully address the broader dimensions of obstetric violence in Indigenous contexts. In these cases, violence extends beyond the medicalization of birth to include the disregard for postpartum practices, placenta burial rituals, and other cosmological and cultural aspects that are essential to Indigenous birthing traditions. The study emphasizes that strengthening traditional practices should not be limited to the individual recognition of midwives. It is necessary to support the entire sociotechnical network that sustains these practices, including families, Indigenous leaders, shamans, medicinal plants, and spiritual entities. Baré midwives act as cultural and political agents, and their knowledge is deeply interconnected with a broader network that ensures the continuity and relevance of Indigenous birthing traditions. Finally, this research contributes to the development of more inclusive public policies and the recognition of traditional practices as intangible cultural heritage. The initial study on Baré midwives serves as a foundation for future research encompassing other ethnic groups in the region, such as the Baniwa and Tukano. By fostering a heritage recognition process that values not only the techniques and knowledge of midwives but also the complex sociotechnical network that supports them, this work seeks to promote the preservation, continuity, and empowerment of these practices in contemporary contexts