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Indigenous knowledge and the management of marine resources in the KisauniMatsangoni area of north coastal Kenya Denis Khamati Shilabukha A Thesis Submitted to the Institute of Anthropology, Gender And African Studies in Fulfillment of The Requirements for Award of the Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy In Anthropology Of The University Of Nairobi 1.1 Introduction • The relationship between society/culture and nature/biodiversity lies behind much of the discussions on the relevance of indigenous knowledge in the contemporary world. One side of this debate presupposes that there is distinction between human society and nature. This distinction has been used in the past by anthropologists and others to mark out the gap between human and non-human worlds, domains and spheres. Introduction cont.. • However, this has led to the (often) rapacious perception that nature is alien and, therefore, inimical to human progress and economic advancement. • This can be attributed to the Victorian era when Western interests centred on the conquest, study and civilization of the “primitive and other” peoples (Willis, 1990:6). Introduction cont.. • On the other side of the debate, the thinking is that people’s concept of nature should be dialectical and holistic as opposed to dualistic. This philosophy is in conformity with many an indigenous people’s view of nature (Willis, 1990:4). • This is the basis of indigenous people and indigenous knowledge. • The Giriama people, among whom this study was done, fit the description of indigenous people. This is especially so if we consider their knowledge and relationship with the marine resources. Problem statement • Biodiversity, the totality of genetic resources, varieties and ecosystems, is the very foundation of life on earth. Different regions of the world are endowed with different species of plant, animal and micro-organism species. • The spatial distribution of these species is dependent upon climatic and topographic factors. It is imperative to note that most of the “epicentres of genetic diversity” are located in the South. • These regions are, however, threatened with the loss of important bio-diversity and genetic resources due to a number of factors (Zavarin, 1991:252). One of these factors is the focus on the so-called scientific methods of managing biodiversity. The assumption has been that these methods are superior to the time-tested indigenous knowledge systems. Problem cont… • However, the reality on the ground depicts a completely different picture. This study was concerned with the uncertain status of the indigenous knowledge that reflects many generations of experience and problem-solving by thousands of ethnic groups across the globe. • Very little of this knowledge has been recorded, yet it represents an immensely valuable data base that provides humankind with insights into how numerous communities have interacted with their changing environment including its floral and faunal resources. Indigenous knowledge, particularly in the African context, has long been ignored and maligned by outsiders. Research questions • This study was, therefore, designed to find answers to the following questions: • What is the nature and significance of Giriama indigenous knowledge in the management of marine resources in the research site? • What role can the Giriama culture play in evolving a conservation ethic appropriate for sustainable marine resource utilisation? • What is the role of the Giriama nomenclature in the management and use marine resources? Objectives of the study General objective • To explore the role of the Giriama community and its knowledge in the management of its the marine resources. Specific Objectives • Analyse the nature and significance of Giriama indigenous knowledge in the management of marine resources in the Kisauni - Matsangoni area. • Identify and discuss the Giriama nomenclature in the marine resources and its implications for management and use. • Determine the role Giriama culture can play in evolving a conservation ethic appropriate for sustainable marine resource utilisation. Assumptions of the study • The Giriama indigenous knowledge is significant for the management of marine resources in the study site. • The Giriama nomenclature for the marine resources influences the management and use of marine resources. • Giriama culture can play a significant role in evolving a conservation ethic appropriate for sustainable marine resource utilisation. Rationale of the study • Indigenous knowledge, particularly in the African context, has long been ignored and maligned by outsiders. Yet there is much we can learn from how communities such as the Giriama have, who traditionally used and protected their marine resources, and this knowledge may help the rest of the world find appropriate solutions for reaching outcomes that benefit both the cultural and biological diversity that ensure the resilience and richness of our lives. • Very little of this knowledge has been recorded, yet it represents an immensely valuable data base that provides humankind with insights into how numerous communities have interacted with their changing environment including its floral and faunal resources Rationale Cont.. • In some areas, attempts have been made to use indigenous strategies to complement contemporary management approaches. This is not enough and, therefore, this study’s findings, if adopted by policy makers, provide such a scenario where the Giriama people in particular, and many other indigenous people, would have an opportunity to contribute their traditional ecological knowledge that will be of direct benefit to scientists and non-scientists alike in the protection of marine resources such as reefs, mangrove, fisheries and corals. • Natural sciences are vital for the understanding of the functioning of ecosystems such as biological organisms, food chains and energy levels. However, this kind of study provided an anthropological approach which facilitated the analysis of social governance structures, an essential platform from which we can comprehend patterns of human behaviours that influence ecological damages (pressure variables) and to finding effective solutions such as community participation, communication channels and regulatory mechanisms in the course of management and utilisation 1.6 Scope of the study • This study was carried out in the Kisauni-Matsangoni area of north coastal Kenya. It focused on the role of local ecological knowledge in helping the community develop a conservation ethic and resource management suitable for marine resources. • It also examined the issues of environmental impact assessment for purposes of coordinating the responsiveness of local development projects to environmental and cultural concerns. • The study was guided by the theory of neo-structuralism. Limitations of the study • This study faced a number of methodological limitations. One of them was translation of concepts. Due to language barriers it was sometimes difficult for effective communication to take place. • Another limitation had to do with cultural triage. This is a situation where an indigenous group is forced to rank cultural and natural resources that could be impacted by proposed development projects. • Another methodological limitation had to do with decontextualisation and distillation of indigenous knowledge. Theoretical framework • This study was guided by the theory of neo-structuralism and it borrows heavily from the structuralism originally propounded by Lévi-Strauss, which fundamentally looks at levels of social reality (Lévi-Strauss, 1963). • This brand of structuralism was inspired by the work Edmund Leach (1982), who was critical towards the structural-functionalist perspective and who drew on Lévi-Strauss (1963). • However, he also found grounds for critiquing Lévi-Strauss. Leach, who in stark contrast to Lévi-Strauss was more concerned with researching people's actual lives rather than with the discovery of universal mental structures, found that the latter's analysis of the some cultures contained serious flaws. • According to Leach (1982), Lévi-Strauss was ambitious, meaning that his analyses were too superficial and the available data treated with too little care (Leach, 1982; Shilabukha, 2000:18). Relevance of the theory • Culture is the most important concept in anthropology. Thus, it is no accident that anthropology has always been keenly interested in cultural survival. However, this cultural survival must be tied to ecological survival. • In this way, indigenous knowledge can be represented as emerging from a complex structural system composed of three subsystems: context, practice and belief. • Thus, indigenous knowledge as contextual knowledge is based on history, demographic factors and biophysical features of place. • Indigenous Knowledge as practice depicts meaningful action, through physical interaction with the environment and experiential learning. • Knowledge as belief portrays the influence that spirituality, laws, norms and values have on how people act within their ecosystem. • At this point it would be prudent to introduce ethnography in support of a structural, though, non-materialistic conception of an ecosystem. Research Site Location and size • The study was carried out in the area between Kisauni in Mombasa County and Matsangoni in Kilifi County • In Mombasa, the study site included villages in Kisauni and Bamburi. • In Kilifi County, the study included villages in Shanzu, Mtwapa, Kanamai and Matsangoni. • These are areas where people live in close proximity to the marine resources. As such these people are intimately related to the marine resources. Study Design • This study was cross-sectional, descriptive and exploratory in nature. It was carried out between November 2012 and October 2013. • It employed qualitative methods of data collection. It involved frequent field visits. • Most of the data collected was qualitative. Quantitative data such as age of the respondents, categories in marital status and the number of years spent on interacting with resources were analysed through computing averages such as the mean, range, mode and percentages. • They were then presented through descriptive statistics such as frequency distributions and tables • Qualitative data analysis was done through content and thematic analysis. • This entailed the cyclical process where data collection was done simultaneously with data analysis, that is, reading, rereading, intuiting, analyzing, synthesizing, and reporting on the data. Study population and unit of analysis • The study population included all individuals from the Giriama community aged 18 years and above living in the research site. The unit of analysis was the individual Giriama aged 18 years and above residing in the study site. Data collection methods In-depth interviews • There were 40 in-depth interviews, which involved local people with general knowledge about ecological conservation. The researcher used an in-depth interview guide Data collection Focus group discussions • There were six focus group discussions for men and women and these were held to grant the study an opportunity to revisit emerging issues without necessarily going back to the same respondents. The groups comprised 8 – 10 individuals. Three FGDs for women were undertaken at Kisauni, Bamburi and Matsangoni, while the men’s FGDs were undertaken at Shanzu, Mtwapa and Kanamai. Key informant interviews • There were 15 key informant interviews, which captured information through a key informant interview guide Transect walks • These were systematic walks along defined paths (transects) across the resource areas together with the local people to explore the position, condition and importance of the resources by observing, asking, listening and looking. • Observation and informal interviews • The purpose of these methods was to gain general insights into local vis-avis pragmatic perspectives on marine resource management. These methods were applied throughout the lifespan of the fieldwork. Findings The nature and significance of indigenous knowledge on marine resources • The Giriama have evolved different notions of the natural world in ways that suit them and their particular context. • Their perceptions and knowledge are by their values, worldviews, and environmental ethics. • Knowledge of different environmental aspects was also demonstrated. • For instance, the mangroves are generally referred to as mikoko, which is the local name for the most widespread and common of the mangrove species, namely, Rhizophora mucronata. The mangrove forests are highly valued in the community. • These findings indicate that the community monitors the climatic conditions that affect the resources. These climatic conditions are monitored in various ways. For instance, in monitoring rainfall, the community checks for certain signs and indicators. Findings Cont.… Indigenous nomenclature and taxonomy • The Giriama, like many other indigenous groups of people in various parts of the world, perceive and interact with nature in ways they have developed over decades. • In the process of interacting with the marine ecosystem they have developed a system of naming "things" as part of the general communication using words and language. • It is an aspect of everyday taxonomy as we distinguish the objects of our experience, together with their similarities and differences, which we identify, name and classify. • Thus, the Giriama nomenclature helps to mentally structure the marine world in relation to word meanings and experience. Findings Nomenclature • The Giriama have a system of classifying and naming the mangrove ecosystem. • There are species and sub-species in the ecosystem. For the Giriama the mangroves not only refer to the trees found in the intertidal zones but also the animals. • Discussions with the elderly respondents revealed that the mangroves actually divide themselves in zones and stages from inland into the sea Findings Local name Botanical name Mlilana Sonneratia alba Mkoko Rhizophora mucronata Mkandaa Geriops tagal Muia/Mkoko wimbi Bruguiera gymnorhiza Mkomafi dume Xylocarpus moluccensis Msikundazi/Mkungu Heritiera litoralis Kikandaa Lumnitzera racemosa Findings • Corals are known locally in Swahili as matumbawe and coral reefs are known as miamba ya baharini. • Coral reefs provide habitats for marine fish species, build tropical islands, protect coasts from waves and storms, and contain an array of potential pharmaceuticals, and support tourism and fishing industries worth billions of dollars. • The distribution of corals is affected by the force of waves. • Where the waves are strong there will be more corals and, therefore, a number of species that feed on the corals as well as depend on the corals for the supply of oxygen. • Small corals are found in the creeks. These corals are believed to belong to ancestors Findings Classification of fisheries • The number of aquatic organisms distinguished and named by the Giriama fishers is enormous, reflecting both the extent of indigenous knowledge they possess and the species diversity characteristic of the coral reef areas, mangrove forests and the deep sea. • In classifying the fisheries, we have those species found among corals, mangroves and the open deep sea. • According to the respondents, the location of the species is a function of adaptation to the conditions as well as their survival needs Findings Overview of beliefs on marine resources • The Giriama people have the knowledge and technology which makes it possible for them to adapt to their environment. Their culture, as demonstrated in their indigenous knowledge, is a major way of managing the fragile mangrove ecosystem. • A major aspect of their culture which demonstrates the importance of the resources to the people is a system of linguistic genres, beliefs and rituals related to the marine resources. • This is a system of rituals, taboos, proverbs, songs, curses and spells that touch on the marine resources. • According to Giriama cosmology, the sea is home to many evil spirits which should be dealt with carefully. Findings Emerging issues • During the study, a number of issues related to sustainable management of marine resources came to the fore. For many years the management of the marine resources was placed in the hands of elders in the community. These elders enacted rules and regulations that dictated how the resources would be harvested. • Some of the indigenous methods of conservation were rotational extraction of mangrove, fishery and coral resources. For example, mangrove cutters would harvest trees and tree products from one area and then proceed to another after exhausting the mature trees and their products in that area. • Another technique was to place a taboo or restriction on entry to a given area of the forest for some time due to ritual pollution or mistreatment of the trees through wanton destruction. The elders would also declare a certain species or part of it sacred for some period of time. • The same would apply to fisheries, corals and coral reefs. • These rules were in place because the Giriama people depend a lot on their environment and this makes them pay attention to it. Conclusion • The Giriama, like many indigenous communities, have evolved different notions of the natural world in ways that suit them and their particular context. • The implication is that they have developed a strong tradition of environmental knowledge in regard to the marine resources and ecosystems. • This is evident in their beliefs, perceptions and attitudes, which are in part shaped by their values, worldview, and environmental ethics. • Among the Giriama, cosmology and indigenous belief systems are the very foundations of this epistemological evolution. • This means that the exploration of environmental ethics and culture in this community can be seen through the nature and significance of indigenous knowledge. Recommendations • Recommendations • Systematic anthropological studies by scholars to capture and evaluate indigenous knowledge on early warning systems, indigenous natural resource and ecosystem monitoring and evaluation. • Further studies into indigenous knowledge systems in the context of sustainable livelihood initiatives and appropriate technologies. • The incorporation of local communities such as the Giriama people, through their indigenous knowledge systems, in future plans to manage natural resources by government agencies. • The integration and consultation of indigenous experts in the areas of conservation; environmental management and public policy. • Policy instruments should be formulated to take into account the needs, aspirations and contributions of local communities and their knowledge on marine and other natural resources.