Indigenous mental health in conflict territory: the case of the Tupinambá community of Serra do Padeiro in southern Bahia

Abstract

This study offers a mental health perspective based on the study of the effects of conflicts over land and community organization at Aldeia Tupinambá in Serra do Padeiro in southern Bahia. The struggle for land with the repossession of the territory stands out as a force that produces health with the power to overcome the hardships experienced in a context of threats, violence, and trauma. For this, Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledges, practices, and actors are continuously articulated. The community’s ways of organizing itself are inserted as a key-element to prevent and recover mental health, avoid injuries in territorial conflicts, and promote conditions for rehabilitation and social insertion. Spirituality, work, culture, community and interethnic dialogue are central aspects of protecting and promoting mental health.