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The political ecology of a Lenca Indian community in Honduras: Communal forests, state policy, and processes of transformation Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Tucker, Catherine May, 1961- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 05:55:51 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/290609 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quali^ of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Contact UMI directly to order. UMI A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zed) Road, Ann AAor MI 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 THE POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF A LENCA INDL^N COMMUNITY IN HONDURAS COMMUNAL FORESTS, STATE POLICY, AND PROCESSES OF TRANSFORMATION by Catherine May Tucker Copyright ® Catherine May Tucker 1996 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 9 6 DMI Number; 9713366 Copyright 1996 by- Tucker, Catherine May All rights reserved. UMI Microform 9713366 Copyright 1997, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Ml 48103 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ® GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Catherine May Tucker entitled The Political Ecology of a Lenca Indian Community in Honduras; Coimnunal Forests. State Policy, and Processes of Transformation and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Thomas E. Sheridan, Co-chair Date ^b^rt McC. Netting,^p-dhair (posthumously) Date /<?-% 1-- "Ana M. Alonso Date 4; Thomas R. McGuire Date Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. Dissertation Director Date Thomas E. Sheridan 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work is dedicated to the people of La Campa. They supported my research, welcomed my husband and me into their homes, and became fnends. Don Jose Rosa Sanchez opened doors of many kinds for us; his wise council, thoughtful comments and help as a field assistant proved invaluable. Doiia Alejandra Santos and don Claudio Garcia have since passed away; I will always remember their generosity, strength of spirit, and kindness. The members of the extended Sanchez family universally encouraged us with their assistance, information, and insights. I am indebted to many former and current municipal officials and council members who explained their roles and deeds to me; I also thank those who gave me permission to review, photograph and photocopy the docimients in the municipal archives, and helped me to read faded portions and interpret the local vernacular. There are uncounted others who merit recognition and have my gratitude; some wish to remain anonymous, and all who helped are too numerous to mention. Robert Netting deserves special note. He passed on too soon to read this dissertation, but his mentoring, enthusiastic pursuit of knowledge, and fnendship continue to inspire me. Thanks, Bob, for all that you showed and shared. The 1993-1994 fieldwork was funded by the National Science Foundation (SBR #9307681) and the Graduate College of the University of Arizona. The second research trip in May and June 1995 received support from the Comins Fund of the Department of Anthropology and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Support Fund of the University of Arizona. This support made the research possible. Tom Sheridan, Ana Alonso and Tom McGuire offered patient, insightflal, and helpful comments throughout the writing process. Their dedication has assisted me in shaping and improving this dissertation; they have my heartfelt gratitude. A special thanks goes to Emilio Moran and Elinor Ostrom. Their work has provided inspiration for my own; and they graciously allowed me time to complete the dissenation while I started working for the Center for Institutions, Populations, and Environmental Change (CEPEC). Finally, I thank my family and friends for their unflagging support for my interests and endeavors. For Percy Iruri, husband and fnend, no hay palabras con que agradecerte. In memory of Robert McC. Netting 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES 9 LIST OF TABLES 10 ABSTRACT II 1. INTRODUCTION 13 Description of the Area 22 The Research Setting 31 Theoretical Framework and Review of the Literature 33 Political Ecology 34 Common Property Studies 38 Research Methods and Data Collection 45 Census and Survey Collection 45 Problems with the Survey Data 46 Formal and Informal Interviews 47 Archival Research 48 Oral Histories 50 Participant Observation 50 Organization of the Text 50 2. LIFE AND LAND IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 56 Pre-Hispanic Lenca Society 57 Conquest and Colonialism of Western Honduras 59 Land Rights, Demographic Trends, and Local Conflict 67 Community Government 82 Political Parties and Factionalism 85 Community Rights to Land 88 Individual Rights to Land 90 Economic Activity 95 Agropastoralism 95 Pottery Production 96 Minor Economic Activities 99 Socioeconomic Characteristics 101 Cultural Traditions and Transformations 107 3. FOREST USE 122 Forest Pasture 126 Firewood 128 Lumber 146 Fence Posts and Living Fences 149 Medicinal Resources 150 Edible Products 152 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Game Animals and Fish 154 Rimal Resources 155 Summary 155 4. AGROPASTORALISM 160 Theoretical Perspectives on Land Use Patterns 160 Agriculture in Historical Context 165 Emboletamiento 167 Traditional Subsistence Crops 170 Annual Crops 172 Perennial Crops 175 Fruit 175 Coffee 177 Sugar Cane 178 Pineapple 180 Additional Useful Plants 180 The Agriculmral Cycle for Maize 181 Preparing a Slash-and-Bum Field 181 Burning a Slashed Field 182 Plowing 186 Planting 187 Weeding and Fertilizing 190 Harvest 191 Agriculmral Risks and Risk Spreading 192 The Household Division of Labor 197 Agriculture and Labor Arrangements 198 Livestock 201 Analysis 208 Summary 219 5. COMMUNAL MANAGEMENT 222 The Communitarian Tradition 227 Communal Organization in La Campa 229 Labor on Roads and Bridges 230 Construction and Maintenance of Public Strucmres 231 Protection of Public Health and Hygiene 233 Service in Community Government 234 Taxes, Fees, and Special Contributions 237 Cooperation, Enforcement and Dissidence 238 Small Group Organizations 241 Common Property Forest Management 244 Common Property Other Than Forests 250 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Difficulties with Protecting Common Property Forests 253 The Common Property Instimtion in La Campa 257 Summary 261 6. FOREST EXPLOITATION, DEVELOPMENT AND RESISTANCE 270 The Situation Preceding Large-Scale Forest Exploitation in La Campa 270 Logging Comes to La Campa 273 The Creation of COHDEFOR 279 Early Impact of COHDEFOR in La Campa (1974-1981) 281 COHDEFOR Regulations and Local Forest Resource Use 289 The Social Forestry System in La Campa 292 The Exacerbation of Tensions (1982-1986) 299 The Rise of Organized Resistance and the Expulsion of COHDEFOR 312 Summary 324 7. PRESENT PROCESSES: STATE POLICIES, FOREST RESOURCES, AND TRANSFORMATIONS 347 Local Circumstances