Nurses' performance on indigenous and African-Brazilian health care practices

to analyze the performance of nurses from the Estratégia Saúde da Família (Family Health Strategy) on health care practices rooted in African and Indigenous cultures.

Thematic Oral History was used and interviews were conducted with seven participants, who worked with Primary Health Care in Northeastern Brazil. The analysis was based on Leininger's Theory of Cultural Care and the intercultural concept of human rights, among others.

nurses are unaware of the religious and historical context of the ethnic groups cared for and do not appreciate their self-care practices in areas with a predominance of African and indigenous cultures. These practices coexist with the hegemonic biomedical model.

the debate on cultural competence in the context of professional qualification and exercise is required, aiming to promote the nursing work in the perspective of diversity and comprehensiveness of health care.