背景:Kohistan的山区为各种食物植物物种提供了庇护所,被认为是当地植物知识的重要热点之一。在全球化和食品商品化的时代,野生食品植物(WFP)在支持当地食品系统方面发挥着重要作用,相关的当地知识是整个地区食品可持续性的重要支柱之一。由于该地区居住着不同的文化群体,每种文化都保留了对当地植物物种的特定知识,因此,进行跨文化比较,这项研究计划记录和比较三个语言群体之间的当地植物知识,即古杰尔,Kohistani和Shina不仅是为了保护当地知识,而且是为了确定这些群体之间的饮食文化适应性,从他们的食物民族植物学角度来看。
方法:在2020-2021年进行了实地民族植物学调查,以收集有关野生食用植物的数据。我们使用半结构化面试。使用报告进行了计数,结果通过维恩图可视化。
结果:总计,记录了属于45个植物科的64种植物。在这些Ajugaintegrifolia中,Barbareaverna,铁线莲,凤仙花,Ranunculuslaetus(vegetables),拟南芥(果实),靛蓝(花),JuniperusExcelsa,椭圆报春花,P.macrophilla(调味剂),喜马拉雅(口香糖),和JuniperusExcelsa(鼻烟)首次被报道。最高的使用报告(≥90)记录为薄荷,Amaranthushydus,半毛槲树,茄属植物,Oxaliscorniculata,无花果,和荨麻。Kohistani报告了野生食用植物物种(WFP)的最大数量,其次是Shinaki和Gujjari语言组。传统知识在WFP上的重叠百分比在Kohistani和Shinaki中最高(56.0%),其次是Shinaki和Gujjar(17.0%),以及Kohistani和Gujjars(15.0%)。Kohistani和Shinaki小组在传统知识中表现出最大的同质性。然而,与Kohistani和Shinaki相比,Gujjars对WFP的了解更多。此外,一些乳制品。Borus,巴戈拉,Bak,Cholam,Kacha,据报道,Gurloo和Poyeen也被口服食用并用于传统美食。
结论:研究表明,科希斯坦是生物文化多样性的重要地点之一,可以被认为是生物文化避难所。WFP一直是研究小组中传统食品系统的组成部分,特别是古吉贾夫妇报道了更多不同的植物用途,这些用途可以归因于他们独特的生态经验。然而,社会变革是可能导致当地植物知识侵蚀的挑战之一。此外,研究小组之间的跨文化谈判也是一个令人关注的问题,这可能会使他们之间的当地知识同质化。因此,我们建议采取坚实的政策措施,保护当地知识,庆祝这片山区的多样性。
BACKGROUND: The mountainous territory of Kohistan shelters diverse food plant species and is considered one of the important hotspots of local plant knowledge. In the era of globalization and food commodification, wild food plants (WFPs) play an important role in supporting local food systems and related local knowledge is one of the important pillars of food sustainability across the region. Since the area is populated by different cultural groups and each culture has retained particular knowledge on the local plant species, therefore, to make a cross-culturally comparison, the study was planned to record and compare the local plants knowledge among three linguistic groups viz Gujjar, Kohistani and Shina in order to not only protect the local knowledge but to determine the food cultural adaptations among these groups looking through the lens of their food ethnobotanies.
METHODS: Field ethnobotanical survey was carried out in 2020-2021 to gather the data on wild food plants. We used semi-structured interviews. Use reports were counted, and the results were visualized through Venn diagrams.
RESULTS: In total, 64 plant species belonging to 45 botanical families were documented. Among these Ajuga integrifolia, Barbarea verna, Clematis grata, Impatiens edgeworthii, Ranunculus laetus (vegetables), Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana (fruit), Indigofera tinctoria (flower), Juniperus excelsa, Primula elliptica, P. macrophylla (flavoring agent), Leontopodium himalayanum (Chewing gum), and Juniperus excelsa (snuff) were reported for the first time. The highest use reports (≥ 90) were recorded for Mentha longifolia, Amaranthus hybridus, Quercus semecarpifolia, Solanum miniatum, Oxalis corniculata, Ficus palmata, and Urtica dioica. Maximum number of wild food plant species (WFPs) were reported by Kohistani, followed by Shinaki and Gujjari linguistic groups. The percentage overlap of traditional knowledge on WFPs was highest among Kohistani and Shinaki (56.0%), followed by Shinaki and Gujjars (17.0%), and Kohistani and Gujjars (15.0%). Kohistani and Shinaki groups exhibited maximum homogeneity in traditional knowledge. However, Gujjars had more knowledge on WFPs compared to Kohistani and Shinaki. In addition, some dairy products viz. Bhorus, Bagora, Bak, Cholam, Kacha, Gurloo and Poyeen were reported also reported that are consumed orally and used in traditional cuisines.
CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates that Kohistan is one of the important spots of biocultural diversity and could be recognized as biocultural refugia. WFPs have been an integral part of the traditional food systems among the studied groups, particularly the Gujjars have reported more distinct plant uses which could be referred to their distinctive ecological experiences among others. However, social change is one of the challenges that might lead to the erosion of local plant knowledge. Moreover, intercultural negotiations among the studied groups are also a matter of concern which could homogenize the local knowledge among them. Therefore, we suggest solid policy measures to protect the local knowledge and celebrate diversity across this mountain territory.