Traditional practices of lessing, curing, and praying: interfaces of local development on the Bioceanic Route

Abstract

This article aims to reflect on the traditional practices of blessing, curing, and praying and their interfaces with local development in the context of the Bioceanic Route. These traditional practices, passed down through generations, constitute intangible cultural heritage that resists modernity and intertwines with the construction of collective identities. The research proposes to analyze how such practices, rooted in communities of Mato Grosso do Sul, can be understood not only as religious or spiritual manifestations but also as social and cultural expressions that contribute to the sustainability of local development. The Bioceanic Route is approached as a space for exchange, where the valorization of ancestral knowledge strengthens identities and broadens the perspective of territorial development. Finally, a research proposal is presented, highlighting the relevance of understanding and preserving this knowledge in the process of Latin American regional integration.