Modern Chemistry & Applications

The chemistry of indigenous peoples

9^th Global Chemistry Congress

July 23-24, 2018 | Lisbon, Portugal

Marcos Aurelio Gomes da Silva

Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Mod Chem Appl

Abstract:

The contribution of non-European cultures to science and technology, primarily to chemistry, has gained very little attentions until now. Especially, the high technological intelligence and inventiveness of South American native populations shall be put into a different light by our contribution. The purpose of this study was to show that mainly in the area of chemical practices; the indigenous competence was considerable and has led to inventions profitable nowadays to millions of people in the western world and especially to the pharmacy corporations. We would like to illustrate this assumption by giving some examples of chemical practices of transformation of substances, mainly those unknown in the old world. The indigenous capacity to gain and to transform substances shall be shown here by the manufacture of poisons, such as curare or the extraction of toxic substances of plants, like during the fabrication of manioc flower. We shall mention as well other processes of multi-stage transformations and the discovery and the use of highly effective natural substances by Amazonian native populations, such as, for example, rubber, ichthyotoxic substances or psychoactive drugs. The indigenous peoples of South America do not seem to have contributed to modern chemistry and technology. In contrast, there are some references and observations made by chroniclers and travelers from the colonial period regarding the transformation, manipulation and use of substances that require certain chemical knowledge, such as fermented beverages, dyes (pigeon peas, Urucum), and the poisons (Curare and Timb??�). Even so, these populations end up being identified as "primitive savages" who still need the support of modern civilization in order for them to develop

Biography :

E-mail: marcosaureliojf@hotmail.com