Meliponiculture in Quilombola communities of Ipiranga and Gurugi, Paraíba state, Brazil: an ethnoecological approach

Abstract

BackgroundThe Quilombola communities of Ipiranga and Gurugi, located in Atlantic Rainforest in Southern of Paraíba state, have stories that are interwoven throughout time. The practice of meliponicultura has been carried out for generations in these social groups and provides an elaborate ecological knowledge based on native stingless bees, the melliferous flora and the management techniques used. The traditional knowledge that Quilombola have of stingless bees is of utmost importance for the establishment of conservation strategies for many species.MethodsTo deepen study concerning the ecological knowledge of the beekeepers, the method of participant observation together with structured and semi-structured interviews was used, as well as the collection of entomological and botanical categories of bees and plants mentioned. With the aim of recording the knowledge related to meliponiculture previously exercised by the residents, the method of the oral story was employed.Results and discussionResults show that the informants sampled possess knowledge of twelve categories of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini), classified according to morphological, behavioral and ecological characteristics. Their management techniques are represented by the making of traditional cortiço and the melliferous flora is composed of many species predominant in the Atlantic Rainforest. From recording the memories and recollections of the individuals, it was observed that an intricate system of beliefs has permeated the keeping of uruçu bees (Melipona scutellaris) for generations.ConclusionAccording to management techniques used by beekeepers, the keeping of stingless bees in the communities is considered a traditional activity that is embedded within a network of ecological knowledge and beliefs accumulated by generations over time, and is undergoing a process of transformation that provides new meanings to such knowledge, as can be observed in the practices of young people.

Nesting ecology and the cultural importance of stingless bees to speakers of Yoloxóchitl Mixtec, an endangered language in Guerrero, Mexico

“…Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in many regions of the world use the honey, pollen, cerumen, and propolis of numerous species for diverse purposes, including food, medicine, and crafts. In some cases, these bee products represent unique or additional sources of income or alternative medicines (e.g., Stearman et al 2008;Ayala et al 2013;Villanueva-Gutiérrez et al 2013;Carvalho et al 2014;Vit et al 2015;Zamudio and Alvarez 2016). Mayans and Aztecs used stingless bees in pre-Columbian times and that tradition endures in many areas of present-day Mexico (e.g., Ayala et al 2013;Villanueva-Gutiérrez et al 2013).…”

A meliponicultura como atividade produtiva: Uma análise em comunidade quilombola do Sertão paraibano

“…No entanto, é importante que se busque o desenvolvimento de modos de produção que se respeite as tradições locais, principalmente entre os quilombolas (CARVALHO et al, 2014).…”

Produção e uso dos recursos melíferos por meliponicultores da região de Cícero Dantas-BA

“…Esses produtos são comumente utilizados para alimentação, para tratamento de doenças e preparação de bebidas (Posey 1978;Posey 1982;Carvalho et al 2014).…”