Bones and snakes: Kinship, substances, and its reverse in a south-eastern Brazilian archipelago

Abstract

Through two stories collected among residents of the Ilhabela archipelago during my PhD fieldwork on how to deal with antidotes against fears, frights, snake bites, and poisons, I make certain considerations regarding the elaborations of kinship relationships and care. This article seeks to consider the role that antidotes and remedies play as substances in stories and relationships derived from the well-established debate on substances in anthropology. Based on discussions with other authors, I propose that the transformation of substances into antidotes or medicines indicates relational bonds and moments. To this end, I seek to relate stories and dietary restrictions in specific periods recounted by residents of the localities studied, both in terms of their impact on relationships and their potential to interconnect among themselves.