Book
Plants and animals in the life of the Kuna
University of Austin Press • Austin • Published In 1995 • Pages: xv, 150
By: Ventocilla, Jorge, Herrera, Heraclio, Núñez,Valerio, Roeder, Hans.
Abstract
This document is the work of two Kuna biologists and a Panamanian colleague who confront the environmental crisis in Kuna Yala (San Blas) and warn of the danger at hand which could lead to environmental catastrophe unless the Kuna rebuild their connection with the natural world through the application of traditional and scientific knowledge (p. x). In addition to the above the book also provides information on hunting practices, agriculture, the medicinal use of plants (including many excellent illustrations of the plants themselves), and information on the commoditization of traditional forest products.The authors discuss the various problems in the market economy of Kuna Yala, particularly in reference to the alliance between Kuna and non-Kuna which produces a cash hungry Kuna economy vunerable to the agents of foreign economic interests. Other factors at play in the economic situation in which the Kuna find themselves in the 1990s are population growth, careless ecological practices, subsistence pressure, and other non-market sources of environmental degradation.
- HRAF PubDate
- 1999
- Region
- Middle America and the Caribbean
- Sub Region
- Central America
- Document Type
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator Types
- Indigenous Person
- Natural Scientist
- Historian
- Geographer
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- John Beierle ; 1997
- Field Date
- ca. 1987-1990
- Coverage Date
- not specified
- Coverage Place
- Kuna Yala (San Blas), Panama
- Notes
- by Jorge Ventocilla, Heraclio Herrera, Valerio Núñez ; edited by Hans Roeder ; translated by Elisabeth King
- Translation of: Plantas y animales en la vida del pueblo Kuna
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-138) and index
- LCCN
- 95002942
- LCSH
- Cuna Indians