Honey Gatherers, Bee Hunters/Trappers, and Keepers of (Stingless) Bees in the World - Ethnozoological surveys in Peru, Brazil, Cuba, Nepal, and Australia (2012-2019)

Abstract

There are more or less technical bee practices wherever humans occupy a territory in which honey bees live. There can be identified three types of practice associated with bees: the gathering of honey, the hunting or trapping of bee colonies and the keeping of (stingless) bees. These different types may be present in the same territory and concern one or several bee species at the same time. Based on the ethnozoological surveys carried out in Peru, Brazil, Cuba, Nepal, and Australia, we will show how the bee breeding may not be practicable in various geographical, cultural, and religious backgrounds. To assist in understanding the analysis of this issue, an evaluation grid was developed using 29 criteria. Use this method to calculate index values and display as a scatter graph. The distribution of the dots suggests the existence of a relationship between the gathering or hunting practices to the breeding practices. The regression line shows that the development of beekeeping leads to an abandonment of local knowledge and traditions about gathering or hunting.

A mini-ethnography of honey gathering: The practice and its contribution to livelihood systems in rural areas

“…Some hunter-gatherer communities make honey the second most important food in their culture after meat, such as the Jarawa people of Andaman Island who consume honey and bee larvae during the dry season (Ghosh and Barik, 2016). In other communities, honey is consumed as medicine and an additional ingredient in food products, either consumed directly or added to beverages such as tea, milk, and lemon water (Perichon, 2020). Some cultures have a perspective about honey that extends beyond just food.…”

“…Studies on the gathering of stingless bee honey were limited. Among the few who have conducted studies related to stingless bees is Perichon (2020) who reported based on ethnozoological surveys carried out in Peru, Brazil, Cuba, Nepal, and Australia, that bee breeding may not be practicable in various geographical, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Earlier, Virkar et al (2014) reported that the collection of honey and other products from natural nests of stingless bees is destructive and threatens their survival.…”