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Workshop on “Biodiversity and
Traditional Ecological Knowledge” – Let Us Talk on Biodiversity
Date: 05 June 2010
Venue: Priyadarsini Planetarium Conference Hall,
Thiruvananthapuram
Report
Background
Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge Traditional ecological
knowledge is increasingly being sought by academics, agency
scientists, and policymakers as a potential source of ideas for
emerging models of ecosystem management, conservation biology,
and ecological restoration. It has been recognized as
complementary and equivalent to scientific knowledge Indeed, the
United Nations Convention on Biodiversity calls for recognition,
protection, and utilization of TEK. New directions in applied
biology that have direct parallels and precedents in traditional
knowledge include ecosystem management, medicine, pharmacology,
agroecology, wildlife, fisheries, and animal behaviour.
Biological research is moving to explore these approaches, yet
acknowledgment or understanding of traditional ecological
knowledge is rare in the student community.
TEK is being recognized as having equal status with scientific
knowledge and has been termed the “intellectual twin to
science”. Traditional knowledge has much in common with
scientific ecological knowledge (SEK), which is not surprising
since both traditions derive from the same source: systematic
observations of nature.
Traditional ecological knowledge can be a source of new
biological insights and potential models for conservation
biology and sustainable development. Examination of traditional
ecological knowledge explicitly brings multicultural
perspectives into the core of the science curriculum, where they
have generally been absent. Incorporation of traditional
ecological knowledge into the curriculum can increase the
participation of students and practitioners in the scientific
community.
In this context, CISSA organised a workshop on the theme
“Biodiversity and Traditional Ecological Knowledge” on 5th June
2010. This programme titled “Let Us Talk Biodiversity”
introduced traditional knowledge holders on biodiversity such as
tribes, farmers, fishermen, traditional health practitioners etc
to the student community for an interaction. The talk was
divided into three sessions- Forest Knowledge (Kattarivu), Sea
Knowledge (Kadalarivu) and Local Knowledge (Nattarivu)- and each
session was moderated by an expert in the field. This unique
programme, organised by CISSA, a global partner for celebrating
International Year of Biodiversity 2010 of the Secretariat of
the Convention on Biological Diversity, was attended by around
300 students from all over Kerala.
Inauguration
 The
Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Shri C. Divakaran
inaugurated the programme at Priyadarsini Planetarium Conference
Hall, PMG, Thiruvananthapuram. The minister opined that
celebrations such as the World Environment Day are occasions to
inculcate the spirit of environmental conservation among
students, who are at present not exposed to the realities of
nature. He demanded inclusion of traditional knowledge in
environmental awareness programmes as well as curriculum so that
the children will be proud or our biodiversity heritage. The
inaugural session was presided over by Shri L. Radhakrishnan IAS,
Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, Government of
Kerala. Dr. RV Varma, Chairman, Kerala State Biodiversity Board
delivered the key-note address and stressed the need for
mobilising the student power and the great treasure of
traditional knowledge for preparing People’s Biodiversity
Register. Dr. A. Biju Kumar, Secretary, CISSA, Dr. S.
Rajasekharan, Scientist, TBGRI and Shri Jayakumar, Agrifriends
Cultural Association spoke on the occasion.
Unique Experience
The World Environment Day celebrations took on a different
dimension when the traditional knowledge holders from various
parts of the state explained their close association with
biodiversity and the immense knowledge they inherited while
living all these years with biodiversity. The scientific
interpretations of the traditional knowledge made the programme
much meaningful to the student community.
Forest Knowledge
 The
Kattarivu group that interacted with students included the hill
tribes Lakshmikutty, Valakkudy Chandran and EM Sivaprasad and
the scientific validation and co-ordination will was done by Dr.
S. Rajasekharan of Tropical Botanic Garden and Research
Institute (TBGRI). While beginning the programme with a
“chattupattu” a devotional song of the Kani tribes, Lakshmikutty
said that “Lord Agasthya told our forefathers not to rely fully
on hunting for food, as this is against sustainable management
of biodiversity. That is why he offered us the musical
instrument called “kokkara” so that we lead a life of music,
seeking fruits and vegetables from the surrounding”.
The knowledge holders spoke about rare herbs such as “valiya
arayan” (Aristolochia tagala), “cheriya arayan (Aristolochia
indica) and “palakan” (Humboldtia anjengo) which are widely used
to treat snake bites. Dr. Rajasekharan explained that many herbs
used by the traditional healers, when later scientifically
validated, were found to be very effective in treating a host of
human ailments. While answering queries by the students on the
modern developmental paradigms the tribes explained the
ecological impacts in forests as a result of increasing number
of tourists within the Agasthyamala Biological Reserve.
The traditions are also reflected in a variety of practices
regarding the use and management of trees, forests and water.
These include, among others, collection and management of wood
and non-wood forest products, traditional ethics, norms and
practices for restraint use of forests, water and other natural
resources, traditional practices on protection, production and
regeneration of forests, cultivation of useful trees in cultural
landscapes and agroforestry systems, creation and maintenance of
traditional water harvesting systems such as tanks along with
plantation of the tree groves in the proximity.
Sea Knowledge
In this session the students interacted with elderly fishermen,
including T. Peter, J.T. John, Joseph Loppus and M. Ambros and
the programme was co-ordinated by Dr. A. Biju Kumar, Dept. of
Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala. They spoke
about different methods of fishing, the flip sides of modern
fishing methods, the varieties of fish and techniques for
predicting wind direction and water currents.
 “Traditionally
we had specific nets for different fish, depending on the size
of fish, including those for catching anchovies (‘netholi vala),
sardines (‘mathi vala’), etc. With the advent of modern
techniques like trawling, the fishes and other creatures are
removed from the sea without selection. It also poses
irrecoverable damage to the sea bed and reefs” Mr Joseph said.
“The embedded socio-cultural features of the fish economy of
Kerala is most evident in the patterns adopted in the sharing of
fish harvest, which has direct implication on food and
livelihood security of the members of the community; inherent in
these patterns of sharing, is a deeply instituted process of
care and concern. Traditionally, fishing communities maintained
their social and economic ties based on the principle of ‘common
property resources’, despite cultural and religious differences.
Though only a small proportion of the fishing community is
involved in the labour process to harvest the resource from the
sea, the strong socio-cultural concern requires that the
benefits accruing from it should be spread as widely as possible
in the community which inhabit the fishing villages” said T.
Peter.
Just like the aboriginal tribes in many parts of the world who
considered earth as the god, for the traditional fish folk in
Kerala, the ecosystem that offered everything for their survival
has been the ‘Kadalamamma’ or the “sea mother” and there is a
popular adage that is even strong today, “Kadalamamma
chathikkilla” or the “sea mother will not betray”.
Traditional fishers also explained their information on the
topography of sea floor for finding out better fishing grounds
and ocean navigation by locating stars and constellations.
Further, they have the expertise in the waves, currents and
turbidity of the sea and locating the movements of fish. The
traditional fisher folk believe that presence of dark patches in
water with ripples indicates a good catch of mackerel and
presence of flipping and splashing noise in the water and series
of air bubbles coming from below and bursting at the water
surface indicates the presence of good shoals of oil sardine.
The fishermen also highlighted the need for understanding the
ecosystem connectivity as the productivity of the coastal waters
is maintained by the organic matter and nutrients carried by the
rivers.
Local Knowledge
 The
Nattarivu group was represented by Mahoharan Nair, Peringavil
Sali, Santhosh, Malakhi Nadar and Selva Raj and the interactions
were moderated by Dr. CR Rajagopal, Director, Nattarivu Padana
Kendram, Thrissur. Benefits of organic farming, the importance
of traditional crop varieties, traditional agricultural methods,
and rearing of fish and honey bees were explained by the
farmers.
“Farms themselves have domesticated biodiversity essential for
survival and subsistence and the only way to store the genetic
diversity of rice is by farming them” said Saly, an experienced
farmer hailing from central Kerala. Socio-culturally valued
species find place in home gardens and courtyards and the
discussion highlighted the need for maintaining homestead
biodiversity for ensuring food security.
Recommendations
The experts coordinated the workshop opined that in order to be
effective, efforts on biodiversity conservation can learn from
the context-specific local knowledge and institutional
mechanisms such as cooperation and collective action;
intergenerational transmission of knowledge, skills and
strategies; concern for well-being of future generations;
reliance on local resources; restraint in resource exploitation;
an attitude of gratitude and respect for nature; management,
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity outside formal
protected areas; and, transfer of useful species among the
households, villages and larger landscape.
The following recommendations were forwarded during the
workshop:
The traditional knowledge workshops should be organised across
the state for the students in order to provide students first
hand information about the rich biodiversity of the state. It
was decided to form a network of academic institutions, NGOs and
R & D centers across the state to share traditional knowledge
with students.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) should be validated
scientifically and should be used by the academicians,
scientists, and policymakers as a potential source of ideas for
emerging models of ecosystem management, conservation biology,
and ecological restoration.
Traditional knowledge should be made part of environmental
education programmes and part of curriculum in schools.
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