Ethnoecology of Miriti (Mauritia Flexuosa, L.F.) Fruit Extraction in The

Barros et al. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021) 17:3 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-020-00430-z RESEARCH Open Access Ethnoecology of miriti (Mauritia flexuosa, L.f.) fruit extraction in the Brazilian Amazon: knowledge and practices of riverine peoples contribute to the biodiversity conservation Flávio Bezerra Barros1*, Fagner Freires de Sousa2, Josiele Pantoja de Andrade1, Fabrício Menezes Ramos2 and Camila Vieira-da-Silva3 Abstract Background: This article presents, from an ethnoecological perspective, the worldviews, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices of Amazonian riverine people involved in the extraction of miriti fruits (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.), in a context of increasing market demand for miriti fruits and of pressure for the intensification of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) production on the Sirituba island, in Abaetetuba, Brazil. Methods: Methods used were participant observation and non-directive interviews with 22 extractive families of miriti from the Santa Maria and Costa Sirituba communities, on Sirituba Island, in Abaetetuba, Pará, Brazil. Non- structured interviews were used to analyze the knowledge about the species, history of miriti extraction, the traditions, and innovations related to this activity over time. Participant observation took place when riverine individuals were working with miriti fruits, in order to grasp the “codes” that permeate the human-nature relationships embedded in this production system. Results: It was verified that the riverine peoples have a great knowledge about the palm tree, which is reflected in their own classification systems and management practices that allow the sustainable extraction of the fruits, avoiding, for example, cutting the miriti palms. In addition, a reciprocity relationship was observed between riverine peoples and miriti palm that are personified and preserved, contributing to the conservation of the species in the floodplain, even with the intensification of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) production. Another important aspect is the collective work involving all the members of the family, which allows the appropriation of the knowledge about the extraction of miriti by the young, allowing the resistance of the tradition that remains strong, contributing to the sustainability of the practice and conservation of biodiversity in the Amazonian floodplain. (Continued on next page) * Correspondence: [email protected] 1Federal University of Para, Belém, Brazil Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © The Author(s). 2021 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data. Barros et al. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021) 17:3 Page 2 of 15 (Continued from previous page) Conclusion: The k-c-p complex inherent to the riverine universe allows, even in face of the growing commercial demand for miriti fruits and the unchallenged increase in the extraction of this product, the conservation of floodplain biodiversity. Thus, we emphasize the importance of traditional knowledge and practices for biodiversity preservation, and they use them to guide public policies and natural resource management systems, aiming for sustainable ways to manage and use biodiversity. Keywords: Agrobiodiversity, Floodplain forest, Mauritia flexuosa, Natural resources use, Nature and society relations Introduction (riverine peoples) and nature (especially miriti palm), The relationship between humans and nature has been mediated by empirical knowledge and symbolic elements studied by many scholars, especially in the field of eth- capable of guiding riverine practices, constituting various noecology, a science devoted to studying traditional management systems and, as a consequence, domestica- knowledge or wisdom. Ethnoecology as a science is tion of species [12–14]. The extraction, if conducted re- unique in that it seeks to grasp the non-formal know- ciprocally, provides an opportunity for biodiversity ledge forms—which Lévi-Strauss [1] defines as science conservation and the maintenance of livelihoods of the of the concrete—in a systemic way, never dissociating people who depend on this resource for their material beliefs (kosmos) from knowledge (corpus) and practices and symbolic reproduction [15–17]. (praxis), the so-called K-C-P complex as described by Thus, we question the analysis of the extraction by Toledo and Barrera-Bassols [2, 3]. Homma [18] based on assumptions from neoclassical Traditional peoples and communities in Brazil are de- economics, which asserts that extractive activities are fined as culturally differentiated groups, who recognize not sustainable since increasing market demand also in- themselves as such with their own forms of social creases pressure on natural resources, leading to over- organization; these groups occupy and use territories exploitation and decline. Homma’s analyses separate hu- and natural resources as condition for their cultural, so- man from nature, disregarding their traditional know- cial, religious, ancestral, and economic reproduction, ledge an ability to create strategies that allow for using knowledge, innovations, and practices generated sustainable practices [19]. Proof of this is that even with and transmitted through tradition [4]. These groups growing demand for miriti fruits and its derivatives in have very old but equally valid form to understand and Abaetetuba, the main marking place for these products, manage biodiversity in favor of nature preservation and miriti fruit extraction is still a traditional practice, which biocultural reproduction because, as expressed by To- is conducted in the family sphere, characterized by the ledo and Barrera-Bassols [3], “according to their world- use of simple technologies, and strongly influenced by views, nature is the main source of life that feeds, riverine peoples’ traditional knowledge and beliefs [20]. supports, and teaches.” In addition, on Sirituba Island, there is also pressure to Knowledge of nature among traditional peoples is es- intensify the production of açaí due to the increased de- pecially noteworthy and reflects the depth and wealth of mand for açaí fruit in recent decades and the great value observations made by such groups within their sociocul- attributed to the species. This has led research and rural tural universes. This results in practices developed, im- extension institutions to advise the reduction of bio- proved, and transmitted over time [4, 5], reproducing diversity for the benefit of açaí palm and instructions for and (re)constructing traditions that are dynamic in na- management of the palm to bear fruit in winter, out of ture and adapted to conditions imposed by the environ- season. However, some people do not support these ment or the surrounding society [6, 7]. measures because they believe that “they are against the The individuals devoted to miriti fruit (Mauritia flex- will of God”. Thus, species such as miriti, which riverine uosa L.f.) extraction in the Amazon estuary name them- people are instructed to remove from the soil to make selves as riverine peoples, who are the traditional room for açaí trees, are preserved because, in addition peoples that inhabit riverbanks and predominantly make to bearing fruit, the interlocutors believe contrary to ex- a living by managing natural resources from forests and ternal agents’ claims that this palm benefits açaí palms waterways and by raising livestock [8–11]. They have because its deep roots pull up water that keep soils complex systems of knowledge and representations em- moist and its large leaves generate organic matter fertil- anating from the relationship established with natural izing soils. Therefore, açaí growing around the miriti resources. palms are healthier and bearing more fruits, which are We understand miriti fruit extraction practiced by meatier and more delicious. Thus, even with great exter- riverine peoples as an interaction between humans nal pressure for increasing the dominance of açaí trees Barros et al. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021) 17:3 Page 3 of 15 among the riverine FPEs on the island, miriti trees have environmental and economic tensions facing these been preserved—albeit in less dense stands—and the groups in recent decades, with the main tension being tradition involving palm management remains strong, the increasing demand for miriti fruit in town of Abaete- providing it with notoriety. Sirituba Island is recognized tuba, PA. With this analysis, we aim to add to discus- by those from other islands and

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