Ethnoprimatology of the Shipibo of the upper Ucayali River, Perú
Abstract In the Anthropocene, primate conservation can only take place when considering human culture, perspectives, and needs. Such approaches are increasingly important under the growing impact of anthropogenic activities and increasing number of threatened primates. The Amazon rainforest, rich in...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-023-00616-1 |
| _version_ | 1797451778748317696 |
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| author | Evelyn Anca Sam Shanee Magdalena S. Svensson |
| author_facet | Evelyn Anca Sam Shanee Magdalena S. Svensson |
| author_sort | Evelyn Anca |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In the Anthropocene, primate conservation can only take place when considering human culture, perspectives, and needs. Such approaches are increasingly important under the growing impact of anthropogenic activities and increasing number of threatened primates. The Amazon rainforest, rich in cultural and biological diversity, where indigenous people play a crucial role in primate conservation, provides ample opportunity to study human–primate interactions and the sociocultural context in which they occur. Human activities threaten the Amazon’s fragile ecosystems and its primates, which play a key role in its maintenance and regeneration. This study focuses on one of the largest indigenous groups in the Peruvian Amazon: the Shipibo. Interviews and participant observation were used to investigate local perceptions of animal presence and depletion, food preferences, and how primates are incorporated into daily life and culture. Since time immemorial and still today, primates remain important in Shipibo culture, mythology, and subsistence. Local Shipibo participants consistently identified the presence of 13 species of primate. Primates were among the preferred species for consumption, pet keeping, and held a fundamental role in mythology, traditional knowledge, and storytelling. Large-bodied primates were often mentioned as being locally extinct, with reports and observations suggesting increasing consumption of smaller-bodied primates. Commonly perceived reasons for primate depletion include noise disturbance, hunting, and population growth, often in parallel. This study sheds light on the cultural context of an area rich in biodiversity, where primates, essential for ecological balance and integral to Shipibo lives and identity, are being depleted. We highlight the need for an inclusive ethnoprimatological approach to conserving primates and preserving indigenous heritage while improving local livelihoods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:59:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ae023afe783f4fef9cc1989311af804c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1746-4269 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:59:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-ae023afe783f4fef9cc1989311af804c2023-11-26T14:00:42ZengBMCJournal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine1746-42692023-10-0119111910.1186/s13002-023-00616-1Ethnoprimatology of the Shipibo of the upper Ucayali River, PerúEvelyn Anca0Sam Shanee1Magdalena S. Svensson2Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityNeotropical Primate ConservationFaculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityAbstract In the Anthropocene, primate conservation can only take place when considering human culture, perspectives, and needs. Such approaches are increasingly important under the growing impact of anthropogenic activities and increasing number of threatened primates. The Amazon rainforest, rich in cultural and biological diversity, where indigenous people play a crucial role in primate conservation, provides ample opportunity to study human–primate interactions and the sociocultural context in which they occur. Human activities threaten the Amazon’s fragile ecosystems and its primates, which play a key role in its maintenance and regeneration. This study focuses on one of the largest indigenous groups in the Peruvian Amazon: the Shipibo. Interviews and participant observation were used to investigate local perceptions of animal presence and depletion, food preferences, and how primates are incorporated into daily life and culture. Since time immemorial and still today, primates remain important in Shipibo culture, mythology, and subsistence. Local Shipibo participants consistently identified the presence of 13 species of primate. Primates were among the preferred species for consumption, pet keeping, and held a fundamental role in mythology, traditional knowledge, and storytelling. Large-bodied primates were often mentioned as being locally extinct, with reports and observations suggesting increasing consumption of smaller-bodied primates. Commonly perceived reasons for primate depletion include noise disturbance, hunting, and population growth, often in parallel. This study sheds light on the cultural context of an area rich in biodiversity, where primates, essential for ecological balance and integral to Shipibo lives and identity, are being depleted. We highlight the need for an inclusive ethnoprimatological approach to conserving primates and preserving indigenous heritage while improving local livelihoods.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-023-00616-1EthnoprimatologyHuman–primate interactionsPrimatesIndigenous peopleShipiboPeruvian Amazon |
| spellingShingle | Evelyn Anca Sam Shanee Magdalena S. Svensson Ethnoprimatology of the Shipibo of the upper Ucayali River, Perú Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine Ethnoprimatology Human–primate interactions Primates Indigenous people Shipibo Peruvian Amazon |
| title | Ethnoprimatology of the Shipibo of the upper Ucayali River, Perú |
| title_full | Ethnoprimatology of the Shipibo of the upper Ucayali River, Perú |
| title_fullStr | Ethnoprimatology of the Shipibo of the upper Ucayali River, Perú |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ethnoprimatology of the Shipibo of the upper Ucayali River, Perú |
| title_short | Ethnoprimatology of the Shipibo of the upper Ucayali River, Perú |
| title_sort | ethnoprimatology of the shipibo of the upper ucayali river peru |
| topic | Ethnoprimatology Human–primate interactions Primates Indigenous people Shipibo Peruvian Amazon |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-023-00616-1 |
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