Dona Cecília Gonçalves dos Santos

Cultures of Resistance Awardee — Brazil

Dona Cecília Gonçalves dos Santos is an Indigenous traditional healer. Since childhood, she has been immersed in the preparation and understanding of the healing properties of stems, roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits from the Cerrado, a vast ecoregion of tropical savanna in eastern Brazil. Dona Cecília carries on the tradition of using Cerrado plants as sources of therapeutic treatments, passed down through generations. Dona Cecília is dedicated to protecting Indigenous traditional knowledge systems and sustainably managing the land of the Cerrado.

Dona Cecília Gonçalves dos Santos received a Cultures of Resistance Award (CoR Award) in 2024. The award was used to support a workshop on traditional medicine.

Follow her on Instagram here to learn more about her work.

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