‘God is my forest’ – Xhosa cultural values provide untapped opportunities for conservation

Abstract

In South Africa conservation is still largely framed in terms of Western scientific values, with a focus on material benefits to local communities, whilst little is known about the intangible values local people attach to nature and biodiversity. We explored the cultural, spiritual and emotional relationships with nature expressed by Xhosa people, within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot, as well as the activities that mediate this relationship. A descriptive research approach was applied to document the emotions, meanings and values associated with landscape elements. This approach included group and individual interviews and 'walk-in-the-woods' interviews and participatory mapping exercises. Respondents portrayed a strong, although not always easily articulated, appreciation for nature, especially ihlathi lesiXhosa ('Xhosa forest', vegetation types within the Thicket Biome). Activities such as collecting fuelwood and other resources, hunting and time spent at initiation schools were described as key opportunities for spending time in nature. The benefits of being in nature were ascribed not only to the physical experience of the forest environment and its biota, but also to the presence of ancestral spirits. Being in nature thus contributes significantly to the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of local people, and is also integral to their sense of cultural identity. This study has made it clear that maintenance of biodiversity and natural vegetation is as much in the interest of the local community's well-being as it is in the interest of conservation planners. We recommend that cultural values be incorporated into local conservation plans.

Exploring the implications of cultural diversity for environmental learning at an African aquarium

“…Previous research has noted that more traditional values are often associated with anthropocentric concerns (Schultz & Zelezny, 1999) Westernisation (Jones, 2014). This interpretation is supported by previous research that revealed a strong sense of connectedness with nature amongst rural South Africans, and that rural African people valued and understood biodiversity differently to Western people (Cocks et al, 2012). This interpretation of a duality of worldviews is reinforced by research that shows that, in Southern Africa, traditional (African) as well as scientific (Western) notions of natural phenomena exist concurrently (Breidlid, 2009).…”

“…The third factor was labelled Nature Distance, as it represented visitors' personal distance from nature. It is suggested that the construct Nature Distance is particularly relevant to the South African situation, and is better suited to a context in which urbanisation is seen as progress and nature experiences are thought of as less progressive (Cocks et al, 2012). The construct may also reflect the challenges experienced by many respondents in handling negatively worded items.…”

“…It has been suggested that the use of English in environmental education and research may be considered to be limiting, through the loss of the rich descriptors for the environment found in indigenous languages (Cloete, 2011;Cocks et al, 2012). 13 On the other hand, many of the words used in the various scales do not have equivalents in an African language (e.g., wilderness), or may have different meanings for African language speakers (e.g., bush)…”

“…The fact that one study focused on adults while the other studies were undertaken with children may be a reason for this discrepancy. In addition, rural African cultures have traditionally had not only a strong utilitarian attitude towards nature, but also a spiritual connection (Breidlid, 2009;Cocks, Dold, & Vetter, 2012;Ojomo, 2011 (Chen, 2011).…”

Walking and the social life of solar charging in rural africa

“…Consider now, how women elsewhere in Eastern Cape variously feel freedom and bonds with others and with their ancestors as they walk through the forest together gathering fuelwood, proud of the size and neatness of their woodpiles. Without access to forests, women miss these experiences and feel less of a mother and hard working adult woman [Cocks et al 2012]. This article is not about forest depletion, carbon politics or fuelwood; but it is about practices in which walking, to access and use resources, including electricity, links together bodies, sociality, physical environments, and felt experiences.…”