Medicinal knowledge and practices in the management of COVID-19 in older Miskitu adults in the community of Kamla, municipality of Puerto Cabezas, Autonomous Region of the Northern Caribbean Coast

Abstract

The present Cultivation and Raising of Wisdom and Knowledge research (CCRISAC) is focused on recounting the medicinal knowledge and practices in the management of COVID-19 in older Miskitu adults from Kamla Community, Puerto Cabezas municipality, Autonomous Region of the Northern Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast. It is intended to make known the ways of transmitting knowledge to future generations. We proceeded according to seven methodological moments: Dreaming the idea, Analysis of the context, Harmony between knowledge, Design of the paths: Research, Intercultural Action; Coexistence and Community Construction of knowledge, knowings and practices, Dialogue of knowledges and doings, and the construction of an Action Plan. Among the main findings, it is reported that people in the Kamla Community had experiences with diseases similar to COVID-19, such as the ancestral disease called IKIKIA, thus, responding to the health emergency with those medicinal practices previously used by the ancestors. On the other hand, the severity of the disease was recognized for the elderly, so the predominant feelings were sadness, fear and anguish. This community has maintained the ancestral knowledge in the elderly, however, the form of transmission to the new generation has been limited to orality and observation, where only medicinal plants and infusions are addressed, however, they are not experimented and the rituals in the preparation of the medicine are not detailed, which leads to the incomplete transmission of knowledge and practices of ancestral medicine