Ethnobiological Knowledge of the Sonoran Desert: Identifying
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ETHNOBIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SONORAN DESERT: IDENTIFYING INTER-GENERATIONAL LEARNING AND VARIATION by COLLEEN MARIE O’BRIEN (Under the Direction of Brent Berlin) ABSTRACT Recent ethnobiological research has demonstrated generational differences in nature knowledge and methods of learning and a loss of ecological knowledge in younger generations. This dissertation investigates ethnobiological knowledge distribution among children and adults in Ajo, Arizona, a rural town located 30 miles north of the United States / Mexico Border in the Sonoran Desert. Ethnographic research using a mixed method approach of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis was conducted over 18 months to determine if behavioral or demographic factors contribute to knowledge variation both within and between two generational cohorts. Structured interviews included 129 Anglo, Mexican, and Tohono O’odham participants. Interviews consisted of a free listing exercise, recognition test of 45 culturally salient plants and animals elicited through video clips, and structured questions on demographics, learning, and behavior. Both cohorts report learning ethnobiolgical knowledge primarily through vertical transmission from parents and grandparents. Children are more likely than adults to be limited to declarative (naming abilities) rather than procedural knowledge (uses and beliefs) about Sonoran plants and animals. Today, children are learning in different ways than adults did at their age, which does not necessarily affect the quantity of what they know, but rather the quality and content of their knowledge. Children are limited to generic names while adults use species specific names. Changes in acquisition and exposure have prevented the persistence of knowledge about certain key species such plants used for wild foods in younger generations. Recognition scores increase significantly with age, location of home, park visitation, and hunting in the children’s cohort and ethnicity in the adult cohort. Naming and recognition abilities are not significantly associated with how the knowledge was acquired. However, children who participate in experience-based activities such as hunting are better able to identify wild foods, know more species-specific names, and have more knowledge about ecology and uses. These findings suggest that situated learning that occurs within an ecological and social context imparts knowledge that is qualitatively different than abstract learning. Results are being applied to biocultural educational program development in nearby Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. INDEX WORDS: Cognition; Cultural Transmission; Ethnobiology; Ethnobotany; Ethnoecology; Biocultural Education, Traditional ecological knowledge; Situated Learning; Indigenous Education Models; Sonoran Desert, Arizona. ETHNOBIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SONORAN DESERT: IDENTIFYING INTER-GENERATIONAL LEARNING AND VARIATION by COLLEEN MARIE O’BRIEN B.S., Ohio University, 1994 M.S., The Ohio State University, 1998 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2008 © 2008 Colleen Marie O’Brien All Rights Reserved ETHNOBIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SONORAN DESERT: IDENTIFYING INTER-GENERATIONAL LEARNING AND VARIATION by COLLEEN MARIE O’BRIEN Major Professor: Brent Berlin Committee: Elois Ann Berlin Ted Gragson Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia August 2008 DEDICATION To my parents for all of their support over the years, to my brother Bill for providing advice, humor, and inspiration, and to Sydney for years of companionship during all of my travels. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have so many individuals and institutions to thank for inspiration, guidance, and assistance with this endeavor. First, I would like to convey my thanks to my committee for their support, instruction, and guidance through this process. Brent Berlin I thank you for my introduction to anthropological theory and for your mentorship as both a teacher and colleague. You once told me that we will always be remembered for what we write, so I hope that this manuscript is representative of my dedication to helping preserve the beauty and diversity of the Sonoran Desert. I would like to thanks Ted Gragson for his instruction and assistance with anthropological research methods, data collection, analysis, and proposal development. Elois Ann Berlin for her advice on project design and for introducing me to biocultural perspectives in anthropology. I am grateful for additional advice and guidance from Ben Blount, Russ Bernard, Jeff Johnson, Gary Machilis, Sue Weller regarding research design, methods, and proposal development. I would like to thank the staff of the University of Georgia Department of Anthropology including Charlotte Blume, Margie Floyd, Labau Bryan, and Jill Morris for being supportive in the fundamentals of grant and program administration. I would especially like to thank my colleagues in the Department of Anthropology including Ana Pitchon, Rebecca Witter, Adam Henne, Nico Dauphine, Tammy Watkins, and Meredith Welch DeVine. You helped to keep me sane, challenged me, and assisted me with editing numerous proposal drafts. Thank you too for your friendship and for our after hours discussions at local establishments. Your humor, insights, and feedback kept me going when I was ready to call it quits. v There are numerous people that I would like to thank from my field site. First, the participants, without which this study could not have been completed. I am indebted to your kindness to a stranger and your willingness to help me better understand life in the Sonoran Desert. Irma Barajas, Janet Castro and their family were so helpful to me during my time in Ajo sharing their homes, food, and cultural traditions. My research associates Mike Foster, Griselda Sandoval, Faye Miller, Jessica Piekelick were invaluable during the research and interview process. Thank you for providing your expertise and insights. I would also like to thank the Ajo Unified School District including Robert Dooley, Don German, Terry Orr for all of the teachers that helped to facilitate my research. Traci Taft and Mimi Phillips of the Sonoran Desert Alliance provide numerous introductions, advice, and help during my time in Ajo. Also, Andy Fisher of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for her assistance with the project proposal, fieldtrip, and feedback on park needs and goals. The Ajo Natural History Association provided assistance and venues with which to communicate my research to the community. Also Lannette Phipps of the Ajo Corridor Times and Mike Macklenburg of the Ajo Copper News for including my work in their publications. Dr. Lynelle Wagner provided me with assistance and expertise on Sonoran plants and animals, as well as friendship and delicious meals during my stay in Ajo. Vivian Satori, Karen Johnson, Don and Gayle Weyers, and Bill Elzroth also welcomed me into the community of Ajo and were good neighbors, friends, and helped in various ways with this research. vi Thanks to my friends and family who visited me at my field site and who were with me, emotionally if not physically throughout this entire process: Melissa Garr, Bill O’Brien, William and Blanche O’Brien, Katie Pheanis, Kris Brengel, Kris Meshew, Kaija Schilde, and Erin Riley. You all make me laugh, help me to remember the important things, and remind me of the value of friends and family in my life. I would also like to thank Mark Cherry who listened to my complaints and doubts and offered me his advice and encouragement through the writing of this dissertation. Finally, thank you to my funders the National Science Foundation and the Canon National Parks Conservation Scholarship for supporting this research. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................................v Chapter 1 Introduction....................................................................................................................1 Research Questions and Approach............................................................................3 Propositions and Expectations...................................................................................6 Novice Versus Expert in the Study of Ecological Knowledge ................................8 Study Limitations ....................................................................................................9 Notes on US Based Fieldwork ................................................................................10 Outline of This Work ..............................................................................................12 Notes on Presentation and Style..............................................................................13 2 The Sonoran Desert in Ecological and Cultural Context.............................................15 The Biophysical Environment.................................................................................19 The Cultural and Social Environment.....................................................................25 An Ethnographic Overview of Ajo, Arizona...........................................................34 3 Measuring Variability in Sociocultural Context: Research Design and Method.........53 Measuring Variation................................................................................................54