Market economy and the loss of folk knowledge of plant uses: Estimates from the Tsimane' of the Bolivian Amazon

Reports on research that explored whether market economies have contributed to the loss of folk knowledge of plant uses among the Tsimane', a foraging-horticultural society in the Bolivian Amazon. The market economy was introduced into the region by the exploitation of precious wood species &am...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current anthropology 2005-08, Vol.46 (4), p.651-656
Main Authors: REYES-GARCIA, Victoria, VADEZ, Vincent, BYRON, Elizabeth, APAZA, Lilian, LEONARD, William R, PEREZ, Eddy, WILKIE, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amazon
Bolivia
Environmental studies
Excavation and methods
Flora
Folk Culture
Generalities
Indigenous Populations
Knowledge Utilization
Local Knowledge
Market Economy
Methodology and general studies
Plants (Botanical)
Prehistory and protohistory
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Summary:Reports on research that explored whether market economies have contributed to the loss of folk knowledge of plant uses among the Tsimane', a foraging-horticultural society in the Bolivian Amazon. The market economy was introduced into the region by the exploitation of precious wood species & the opening of a new road. Data were obtained from 18 months field work that included a panel survey of all adults (n = 108) in two villages (Yaranda & San Antonio) & a cross-section survey of 59 villages that involved interviews with the chief member of 497 households. Cultural consensus & competence in knowledge of plant uses was calculated for each village. The results showed that, contrary to previous studies, schooling was positively correlated with agreement in knowledge of plant uses. Higher knowledge was correlated with distance from a market town although agreement in uses of plants decreased after 50 kilometers. Once village-to-town distance was controlled, such indicators of market integration as cash earnings or weather showed no significant correlation with knowledge of plant uses. Tables, Figures, References. J. Lindroth
ISSN:0011-3204
1537-5382
DOI:10.1086/432777