Uso de cera de abelhas pelos índios Pankararé no Raso da Catarina, Bahía, Brasil

Use of bee wax by the Pankarare Indians in Raso da Catarina, Bahia, Brazil. The Pankarare and Brejo do Burgo Indigenous Land are situated at setentrional edge of Raso da Catarina, Northeast Bahia (9o15’S and 38o 35’/38o25’W). The Pankarare people are concentrated in the localities of Brejo do Burgo (40Km far from Paulo Afonso), Serrota (6Km south from Brejo do Burgo), the Chico’s canyon, areas at low plateau, and Ponta D’agua (4km east from Brejo do Burgo), municipality of Gloria. Despite of everyday use of beewax by Pankarare, information about the usage of beewax by Indigenous Pankarare is first presented here. Considering the historical importance of wax and its diversified uses by indigenous groups, the present work recorded the usages of beewax, emphasizing Pankarare’ art craft and domestic uses of beewax. Wax from the stingless bee (Frieseomelitta doederleini Friese 1900) and Africanized bee (Apis mellifera Linnaeus 1758) is used in art craft, candles, musical instruments, to calk and glue, meaning that this cultural practice is still integrated to Pankarare s lifestyle, both for art craft and domestic purposes.