Edible Seaweeds Sold in the Local Public Markets in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Philippine Journal of Science 148 (4): 803-811, December 2019 ISSN 0031 - 7683 Date Received: 27 Aug 2019 Edible Seaweeds Sold in the Local Public Markets in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Richard V. Dumilag* Institute of Oceanography and Environmental Science Mindanao State University – Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography Boheh Sallang, Sanga-Sanga, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi 7500 Philippines Documenting local knowledge regarding the identity and use of wild resources in rural communities is a pressing concern because such knowledge is likely disappearing into oblivion. As easily perceived, the large crowds in public markets provide opportunities for the exchange of local resources. Tawi-Tawi is one of the rural areas in the Philippines for which a list of seaweed species sold in the local marketplace has not been reported to date. Here, a survey of Tawi-Tawi public markets resulted in a list of seven commercialized seaweed species – namely Caulerpa lentillifera, Caulerpa cf. macrodisca ecad corynephora, Caulerpa cf. racemosa, Eucheuma denticulatum, Kappaphycus alvarezii, Kappaphycus striatus, and Solieria robusta. The local name, description, and other key trade information for each seaweed ethnotaxon were provided. This study contributes to filling in data gaps in ethnophycological literature in the Philippines and its value placed on it by various stakeholders. Keywords: bioprospecting, ethnophycology, Philippine local knowledge, resource management, seaweed taxonomy INTRODUCTION key nexuses for knowledge generation (McMillian 2002, Delgado 2004, Cetina 2006). For example, many fields Ethnophycology is a branch of ethnobiology that deals with in social sciences identify market studies as a goldmine the study of interrelationships between humans and algae of historical and cultural epistemology (Tangires 2008, (Arenas 2016), with seaweeds as relatively the most studied Brown and Miller 2008, Morales 2009, Silalahi et al. group. One hundred forty-seven (147) species of seaweed 2015) while scientists ferret out various resources sold worldwide are believed to be edible, of which many are from local markets for food development, drug discovery, also known to have other commercial surpluses (Pereira bioprospecting, among others (e.g., Albuquerque et al. 2007, 2016). The fact that seaweeds are a lucrative source of Lee et al. 2008, Monteiro et al. 2010, Randriamiharisoa et natural products, whose uses are still being explored, has al. 2015, Lima et al. 2016). Notwithstanding the long and made several reviews covering their chemistry and biology intimate association of humans to seaweeds, the range of works in progress (e.g., Smit 2004, Stengel et al. 2011, ethnophycological studies involving local markets in the Pérez et al. 2016, Makkar et al. 2016, Cikoš et al. 2019). Philippines remains limited. Public markets are places where buying and selling take Seaweed is an important food source commodity in the place between resident consumers and traders. More than Philippines. Its domestication in the islands of Tawi- points of a product exchange, these areas are becoming Tawi, southern Mindanao has been one of the largest *Corresponding Author: [email protected] producing areas in the Philippines (Romero 2002, Hurtado 803 Philippine Journal of Science Dumilag: Edible Seaweeds in Tawi-Tawi Markets Vol. 148 No. 4, December 2019 2013). Of the seaweed species domestically grown, Tawi are only a few (Trono 1972, Puig-Shariff 2015, Tahil eucheumatoids – particularly Kappaphycus alvarezii – and Liao 2019). While Tawi-Tawi has become the “site- are the most widely commercialized. Eucheumatoids of-choice” for various studies involving eucheumatoids, are the world’s main sources of carrageenan (Doty the area has received a disproportionate share of scholarly and Norris 1985) – a hydrocolloid used as thickener, attention concerning other edible seaweeds locally utilized emulsifier, or binder to various food products (Necas in the area. The present paper, therefore, focuses attention and Bartosikova 2013). Remarkably, the commercial on a fundamental question on the identity of the common cultivation of eucheumatoids in Tawi-Tawi goes far seaweed species sold in Tawi-Tawi public markets. beyond the livelihood it offers. The advent of seaweed commercialization across the Sulu Archipelago (Doty 1973, Parker 1974) has historically impacted the ebb and flow of human migration in Tawi-Tawi (Nimmo 1986). MATERIALS AND METHODS In Sitangkai Islands, the southernmost border boundary of Tawi-Tawi, seaweed farming has entrenched women Study Site to make a vital contribution to the economy of their farms Tawi-Tawi (Figure 1) is located at the tip of the southwest to the communities in which they live (Aming 2004). In area of Sulu archipelago of Mindanao. The province covers more recent years, commercial seaweeds of Tawi-Tawi a land area of 1,087.40 km2. The expanse of Sulu Sea to its became a trope in local festivities (known as the Agal- north, the Sabah Sea to its west, and the North Kalimantan agal festival), which celebrates the rich seaweed bounty. Sea from western and southern borders geographically divide It is said that such a festival promotes solidarity among the region from the Sulu province, Malaysia, and Indonesia, its local peoples as well as boosts tourism activities in respectively. Politically, Tawi-Tawi also includes the Mapun Tawi-Tawi (Sali and Gonzales 2017, Romero et al. 2017). Is. (formerly Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi) and the Turtle Islands Aside from eucheumatoids, other seaweeds produced in whose geographic locations are nearer to Sabah, Malaysia Tawi-Tawi have had long found elemental to the daily (about 20 km) than that of most islands of Tawi-Tawi. diets of its local people. It is highly likely that the first Tabuh (Figure 2) is the local market in Tawi-Tawi. In this settlers of Tawi-Tawi, the Sama Dilaut (Badjao), had study, two major tabuh were visited: the Bongao Public the earliest and widest seaweed resource use. Any exact Wet Market (5°04’11.2’’N 119°53’02.0’’E) in Bongao and date on the origin of this practice would perhaps be pure the Batu-Batu Public Market (5°04'11.2"N 119°53'02.0"E) conjecture; however, seaweed trades in Tawi-Tawi prior situated at the Panglima Sugala Municipal Fish Port. In to its domestication could be traced back to as early as the terms of size and number of traders and buyers, these two 1700s (Fry 1970). Studies on seaweed diversity in Tawi- marketplaces are the largest in Tawi-Tawi. Figure 1. Maps showing the location of Tawi-Tawi in the Philippines and respective study areas. 804 Philippine Journal of Science Dumilag: Edible Seaweeds in Tawi-Tawi Markets Vol. 148 No. 4, December 2019 Confirmation of Seaweed Source Origin After the interview, one of the seaweed source areas – Belatan Is. (Pondohan Tiyadtad, 5°03'57"N 120°01'02"E) – was also visited to confirm the presence of each of the species identified in this study. Underwater photographs of habit specimens were taken using a Canon PowerShot D30 (Canon Inc., Tokyo, Japan) camera. RESULTS Market Ambiance The Bongao Public Wet Market (Figure 2A) operates daily from 06:00 AM to 05:00 PM. The present market structure was built adjacent to the Chinese Pier, the central hub for vessel transportation in the entirety of Tawi-Tawi. The area was covered by a concrete base. There are 24 tiled tabletops inside, mainly occupied by regular vendors (magdagang-dagang) who exclusively sell fish and other marine merchandise. Sellers hawk their goods in loud voices. Peak hours start from 01:00 PM to 05:00 PM. There were only six vendors (both survey months) who permanently sell seaweeds. All of Figure 2. Vendors selling edible seaweeds in public market (tabuh) them participated in the interview. They were situated in (A) Bongao Public Wet Market and (B) Batu-Batu, inside the marketplace proper. Seaweed stockpiles are Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi. Stockpiles of seaweeds commonly placed inside karut (sack) or pastan (basin). placed inside (C) tiklis and (D) tambusâ. All vendors were female. Batu-Batu Public Market (Figure 2B) is a periodic type Interview of market and operates every Friday only, with high foot Samples of morphologically different species of seaweeds traffic at 02:00 PM onwards but – beginning 24 Aug 2019 were purchased, which were subsequently used for – the operation was moved every Saturday from 08:00 voucher preparation. Information on seaweed merchandise AM onwards. During peak hours, the number of vendors from target marketplaces was obtained via an unstructured was comparably two-fold than that of the Bongao Public interview with vendors as the respondents. Following Tito Market. Goods consisted of both wet and dry merchandise. and Liao (2000), the information was directly extracted: Vendors hawk their produce in loud voices. On the first (1) local name of the seaweed, (2) source, (3) seasonality, survey, a total of 20 vendors sell seaweed produce in the (4) price, and (5) usage. The interview was done twice i.e., area, of which 12 (60%) respondents participated; on July and August 2019. A total of 38 vendors participated the next visit, 20 (62.5%) of the 32 vendors joined the in this study, representing six and 32 respondents from interview. There were seven respondents who consistently Bongao and Batu-Batu Public Markets, respectively. joined both surveys. In the open-air were the seaweed produce displayed over Species Identification karut. Seaweed stockpiles were placed inside karut, tiklis Species identification in situ was done based on (bamboo basket) (Figure 2C), or tambusâ (Figure 2D), a morphological criteria. Key phenotypic features were traditional bag made up of weaved coconut leaves. All examined, documented, and used the most recent literature vendors were female. Magsaliyu or barter transaction (Ganzon-Fortes et al. 2005, Tan et al. 2013, Belton et al. was still a common practice, especially between farmers 2015, Huisman 2015, Pattarach et al. 2019) to identify and fishers.