Insects and other invertebrates in the Pjiekakjoo (Tlahuica) culture in Mexico State, Mexico

Abstract

The Pjiekakjoo are the smallest indigenous group in the State of Mexico. They have managed to survive and maintain an ethnic project despite their proximity to the largest metropolitan areas in central Mexico: Mexico City, Toluca and Cuernavaca. Sadly, their indigenous language is considered to be in danger of extinction. Their knowledge of insects and other invertebrates was recorded through a collaborative project that included the collection of organisms, semi-structured interviews and intergenerational workshops. The documentation and systematisation of their ethnoentomological information was with the active participation of the Tlahuicas. Discussions with the Tlahuicas about other topics, such as the importance of biocultural diversity and the heritage it represents, was promoted. The methodology developed is based in Freire’s ideas of education for freedom and Smith's proposals for the decolonisation of methodologies in anthropological research. An emic perspective was preferred. We documented invertebrates in general. A total of 70 taxa of invertebrates were documented distributed in 3 phyla: Arthropoda (67), Mollusca (2) and Annelida (1).These have 58 Pjiekakjoo names and 66 names in Spanish. The most representative class is the Insecta, with 60 out of 67 categories of arthropods. Half of the taxa (34) have uses: 14 are edible, 7 medicinal, 8 recreational, 2 ornamental, one as an aphrodisiac and one as flavouring. The edible insects are primarily Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera orders. The Pjiekakjoo use 4 invertebrate products: honey, honeycomb, beebread and spider web. The use of insects and other invertebrates requires specialised ecological and ethological knowledge. 9 taxa are associated with distinctive beliefs, commonly as omens. The present paper recommends the use of ethnoentomological research to help the heirs of this biocultural heritage to face the challenges of the contemporary world.

Nahua biocultural richness: an ethnoherpetological perspective

“…7 and 8 ). For understanding these relations, the idea of Nahua contemporary knowledge [ 14 ] is helpful, since it reflects the knowledge dynamism and helps to recognize and understand the integrity of diverse sources of coexisting knowledge [ 14 , 17 ] as well as the importance of this knowledge in the present-day world. We identified that although knowledge, beliefs, and practices have a root in the Nahua local ecological knowledge, these are influenced by new elements from direct observation, learning from other people, communitarian intra and inter communication and the media (internet, TV), books, and classes in the school, as well as customs, beliefs, and knowledge from people from outside the community.…”

“…LEK expresses not only what people know, but also their representations; non-material expressions that generate collective identity, norms of behaviour towards natural environment, values, forms of use and management of natural resources, and alternatives before stressful natural events [ 3 , 7 ]. Based on Santos [ 13 ], Aldasoro-Maya [ 14 ] proposed adding the term “contemporary knowledge”, considering the importance to recognize that in human communities, different knowledge and experiences commonly coexist, some of which (generally those indigenous and local) are considered to be elements from the past [ 15 , 16 ]. Therefore, the term “contemporary” emphasizes that, although the local/indigenous knowledge has its basis on traditional knowledge generated through processes occurring in thousands of years, it has been and currently is dynamic, under continuous production and reproduction of elements, open, adopting, and adapting before changing factors and different forms of knowledge it coexists with [ 14 , 15 , 17 – 19 ].…”

“…Based on Santos [ 13 ], Aldasoro-Maya [ 14 ] proposed adding the term “contemporary knowledge”, considering the importance to recognize that in human communities, different knowledge and experiences commonly coexist, some of which (generally those indigenous and local) are considered to be elements from the past [ 15 , 16 ]. Therefore, the term “contemporary” emphasizes that, although the local/indigenous knowledge has its basis on traditional knowledge generated through processes occurring in thousands of years, it has been and currently is dynamic, under continuous production and reproduction of elements, open, adopting, and adapting before changing factors and different forms of knowledge it coexists with [ 14 , 15 , 17 – 19 ]. Another element of knowledge is environmental perception which is also dynamic, influenced by gender, generations, culture, and social and environmental history [ 20 ].…”

“…The analysis of environmental perceptions reveals subjective aspects, opinions, beliefs, and norms that people establish in their relation with the natural environment [ 21 ]. Contemporary indigenous/local knowledge includes key elements to reinforce the sense of common property which is fundamental to generate appropriate proposals for biocultural conservation [ 14 ]. This knowledge includes a great diversity of information and experience on using a wide variety of organisms (plants, animals, and fungi, among others) [ 5 , 7 ], ecosystems and landscapes, and a different worldview, conceptualizing them and relating to nature.…”

Home gardens’ agrobiodiversity and owners’ knowledge of their ecological, economic and socio-cultural multifunctionality: a case study in the lowlands of Tabasco, México

“…Berkes [ 38 ] considers that TEK includes associated practices and beliefs. Aldasoro-Maya [ 39 ] assigns the connotation of “contemporary” to these localized bodies of knowledge, emphasizing that although having roots in tradition, they also reflect interactions with other forms of knowledge, cultures and temporality, thus updating their suitability for the actual management of agrobiodiversity conservation. Multifunctionality knowledge is a part of these continuously actualized localized bodies of contemporary knowledge and contributes to the maintaining and renewing of biocultural diversity [ 24 , 31 , 40 ] and the diversification, updating and adaptation of socio-ecological systems such as home gardens [ 2 , 41 , 42 ].…”