Indigenous communities use their calendric knowledge to carry out landscape management activities. Using the example of the Mao Naga community of Northeast India, we demonstrate that keepers of such calendars are facilitators of landscape management activities of the community. The Mao Naga community chief once served as the chief calendar keeper from whom calendric information flowed to village-level calendar keepers. The chief calendar keeper processed information on the skyscape and local seasonal indicators and disseminated it to the village-level calendar keepers, and other community members. The calendar keepers determined the dates for sacred holidays called genna, and festivals which in turn determined landscape management activities that include agriculture, hunting and fire management. The village-level calendar keepers combined calendric information received from the chief calendar keeper with their own observation of skyscape and local seasonal indicators. The observation of local seasonal indicators by the village-level calendar keepers enabled them to keep the ecological calendar dynamic, flexible and relevant to the landscape. The Mao Council has introduced a printed traditional calendar which makes it easier for determining lunar months and festival days. But it lacks information on sacred holidays and local seasonal indicators. We recommend that the printed traditional calendar be developed further to include information on sacred holidays and local seasonal indicators. The improvised printed ecological calendar should then be administered by the calendar keepers.

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Background: Bamboos are group of plants of wide ranging cultural and economic values to local communities. The present study was carried out to understand the importance of bamboos for the Mao-Naga community of Manipur, India, and the associated Traditional Knowledge.Methods: Ten artisans (two females and eight males) were selected purposively for the study. Open-ended interviews conducted in person, and telephonic interviews were used to collect data. Prior Informed Consent (PIC) was taken from the knowledge partners prior to the interview. Voucher specimens have been deposited in Central National Herbarium (CAL), India.Results: Our study records the uses and associated traditional knowledge on six bamboo species. The Mao-Naga are capable of distinguishing species from their taste, texture and physical appearance. Except Bambusa pallida, all other species are consumed. In addition, the Mao-Naga also consume bamboo borers (Omphisa fuscidentalis) infesting bamboos. Bamboos are used in traditional soil conservation techniques. Bamboos also play an important role in the community's calendric system, as seasonal indicators. Conclusions:The traditional knowledge recorded in this study would be of help to the community in planning bamboo harvesting, mitigating soil erosion, soil conservation and maintain agricultural productivity. We recommend that value addition in bamboo crafts, bamboo shoots and bamboo borers should be promoted for enhancing livelihood security.

Mahonia imbricata was reported for the first time from Manipur, India. This paper describes taxonomy, morphology, phenology, habitat requirements, ecology and world distribution of the species. On the basis of the examined specimens, notes and photographs for easy identification are presented.

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