research themes

qualitative research

reports

Ojibwe. Part 2:
Useful Plants

The Desert of
the Bedouin

The Bushmasters:
ethnographic
nature of
Western-Suriname

references and
abbreviations (pdf)

contact

email
info@
ethnographic
nature.org

postal address
JJ Cremer-
straat 2/1
1054 TD Amsterdam

Research themes

Ethnographic nature can be documented on different levels, involving the local point of view in varying degree. These levels might be used as stages in the research process or as independent topics.

I. Traditions of resource use This research makes an inventory of the resources used by people, such as plants, game and water sources, as well as the way they are used. The reports consist of species listings and descriptions of the annual round, spatial distribution of the resources, technology, and change in land-use and occupancy. While understanding resource use is a prerequisite for researching the other topics, it might be a goal on its own. Thoroughly documenting even a subset of the resources can result in quite lengthy inventories, like the one elicitating the 339 wild plants the Ojibwe (or Anishinaabe) have used according to ethnographic sources.	profile scientific fields ethnobiology, cultural ecology, optimal foraging theory, archeology application empowerment, management, tourism reference (in Dutch) Ojibwe. Part 2: Useful Plants (pdf)
II. Resource management Within and between communities specific rules structure ownership, usufruct, boundaries, the use of technology, the imposing and lifting of taboos, the exchange of products and spouses, etcetera. These rules have a profound impact on land-use and might therefore be regarded as a complex to manage resources. Research can provide a better understanding of these 'traditional management systems' and how they might be sustained, improved, or reconstructed. Governments seldom acknowledge the legitimacy of traditional land-use and management practices, but might be forced to do so by proceeding to international courts. Research is indispensable to substantiate any claim that resources are used and/or needed by a local community or indigenous people.	profile scientific fields social anthropology, environmental studies, traditional ecological knowledge and managements systems (TEK/MS). application management, empowerment reference (in Dutch) The Bushmasters chapter 1: Western Suriname beyond the planning scheme. (pdf)
III. Local knowledge Hunters, farmers, pastoralists, fishermen and gatherers know a lot about animal behavior, grow cycles and useful qualities of plants, weather phenomena, food conservation, etcetera. While its documentation has taken off since the 1990's, local knowledge is rapidly becoming less distinct and detailed because of changes in land-use. Research on local knowledge can be very useful in ecological studies, irrigation works, rural developments programs, the discovery of new medicines, and many other applications. Maintaining the ethical standards prescribed by the Code of Ethics of the I.S.A. prevents the violation of intellectual property rights of the people who share their knowledge.	profile scientific fields ethnobiology, local knowledge, traditional ecological/ environmental knowledge (TEK) application management, development programs, tourism reference (in Dutch) The Desert of the Bedouin (pdf)
IV. Narratives, art and cosmology The meaning of nature can be revealed by a systematic interpretation of a people's classifications, nomenclature, oral or literary traditions, arts, cosmology, etcetera. This hermeneutic approach reveals people's mindset and outlook to the world. The focus on representations makes this approach also suitable for a research population that doesn't have much interaction with nature.	profile scientific fields cultural anthropology, religion studies, cultural studies, history of art application tourism reference (in Dutch) The Bushmasters. Chapter 4, paragraph 3.2 and on: special means. (pdf)
V. Perceptions of nature Research on the perception of nature includes the topics mentioned above plus a phenomenological dimension. Data collection centers around the questions: Which phenomena are perceived? What do they mean? and Which acts made the phenomena appear? Grasping a people's perception of nature is crucial for understanding the its abilities to 'read' nature and the acquiring of skills and knowledge through interacting with nature.	profile scientific fields cultural anthropology, phenomenology application tourism reference (in Dutch) The Bushmasters. Chapter 5, paragraph 2.8: how the hunter creates animal tracks. (pdf)

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