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The term ‘ethnic’ pertains to human racial groups, native to a particular geographical region, in contrast to the populations that are either immigrant or much influenced by the influx of civilisation.
ETHNOLOGYThe prefix ‘ethno-’ is used in various contexts related to the ethnic groups, to deal with their traditional culture, covering all aspects of their lives such as gods, rituals and festivals, customs, language, dress, agriculture, food, medicine, dwellings, etc. Ethnology is cultural anthropology, ethnography is the scientific description of the races of the earth, while ethnolinguistics, ethnomusicology, ethnobiology, etc., deal with the respective areas of study. The main distinction is between knowledge that is indigenous (local and traditional) vs knowledge that is partly or wholly exotic (modern). The major objective of study of all ethnic areas is to accurately document all the unrecorded information before it is lost to us, in the face of cross-cultures and onslaught of modern civilisation, in order to benefit from traditional wisdom, in our efforts towards the betterment of mankind.
ETHNOECOLOGY
Ethnoecology is the study of a local people’s perception, interaction, and knowledge of sustained utilisation and preservation of all aspects of their natural environment. The emphasis is on a locality, its indigenous (local, native) people of preferably a single community, and their traditional (or folk) knowledge, which is hitherto unrecorded and was being passed on from one generation to another by the word of mouth. This is in contrast to acquired scientific knowledge which is the recorded outcome of research by trained {usually non-local) people, in terms of established international procedures.
Ethnoecology is an essentially multidisciplinary and collaborative research effort. An ideal ethnoecological research team is the one that includes knowledgeable local people, along with specialists in social, natural and chemical sciences. Since ethnoecology is a vast area, it is convenient to recognise sub-disciplines such as ethnobotany, ethnotherapeutics (ethnomedicine), ethnopharmacology, ethnozoology, etc. (Martin, 1995), that deal with the respective areas of study, the results of which would be integrated to obtain a holistic view of the concerned ethnic group and its environment, to be understood in terms of modern science.
There are extensive reviews on various aspects of ethnoecology, particularly ethnobotany, ethnomedicine and ethnopharmacology (in Schultes and Reis, 1995). A detailed methodology of ethnoecological studies, was discussed by Martin (1995), to guide in the preparation and conduct of research projects covering the fields of botany, ethnopharmacology, anthropology, ecology, economics and linguistics.
One very important point is that ethnoecologists do not seek to judge systems of knowledge, to declare one as superior to another; they only document them. Reservations have been expressed regarding the use of the term ethnoecology as inclusive of all plant related aspects, but Martin (1995) has a good defence.
ETHNOBOTANY
The term ‘ethnobotany’ is often used to cover all plant related areas of ethnoecology, other than ethnomedicine and ethnopharmacology. Some like Schultes and Reis (1995), include ethnobotany, ethnomedicine and ethnopharmacology together under ethnobotany.
Many people, especially in the poorer countries, rely on plants collected from the wild localities for food, construction materials, fuel wood, medicine and many other purposes. Today, there is often a decrease in the availability of wild plant resources, related to increased human populations and the effects of competition with other forms of land use. An ethnobotanical study of these aspects is basic to an efficient use of our plant resources. Such a study is very important, because often the same species is used for different purposes, the uses in one area are unknown in another, or in the civilised areas. An integrated information on various uses of a particular species enhances the economic potential of the species.
Ethnobotanical studies can help local communities define their needs for plant resources more clearly, thus assisting them to state their cases for continuing access to certain areas of land or for provision of alternatives to wild gathering, if needed (Martin, 1995). They also bring to light, established but little known uses of plants.
Traditionally, local communities worldwide are extremely knowledgeable about local plants and other natural resources, on which they are so immediately and intimately dependent. Much of this wealth of knowledge is rapidly becoming lost as traditional cultures become eroded, which is a serious concern that prompts ethnoecological studies.
Ethnobotanists can play a useful role in rescuing the disappearing knowledge and returning it to the local communities. This will help conserving at least a part of ethnobotanical heritage, as a living-cultural ecosystem, helping to maintain a sense of pride in local cultural knowledge and practices, and reinforcing links between communities and the environment, so essential for biological conservation (Hamilton, 1995). Ethnobotanical studies can also help identify conservation issues, such as cases where rates of harvest of plants exceed rates of re-growth.
One important current concern of ethnobotanical research is the potential use of plants as medicine, a knowledge that is often exclusive to the specific communities and linked to the local flora.
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