BIO-CULTURAL COMMUNITY PROTOCOLS - Portal do Professor

PART I / CHAPTER 2
Our bio-spirituality is rooted in a relationship with nature
that is both intimate and sacred. We experience a deep sense
of kinship with the plants and animals and treat nature with
love and respect. Our knowledge, dreams and intuitions, all of
which are crucial for healing, are based on our ability to see
ourselves integrally connected to nature, not separate from it. 11
The Vaidyas from the Malayali Hills in Tamil Nadu, India, also
expressed their spiritual understanding of nature and explained
how their beliefs lead them to harvest sustainably. They state:
We believe that plants are sacred and the effectiveness of our
plant-based medicines is integrally linked to us respecting the
plants and caring for them.
We have a specific way of collecting our medicinal plants.
We collect them in the early morning on Tuesdays, Fridays
and Sundays, or during the full moon. We find that the
curative properties of the plants are at their peak when they
are collected at dawn. The day before we collect the plant, we
pray to the plant and we tie a thread that has been dipped
in Turmeric around the plant. The next day we chant a
mantra up to 108 times before harvesting, using only our
thumb and little fingers to pick the leaves and fruit to ensure
that we cause as little harm to the plant as possible.
One of the mantras we chant is: om mooli, maha mooli, jeeva
mooli, un uver, un udalilinirka, swaha which is translated from
Sanskrit as: ‘O great living plant, let your life stay in you’.
We only take roots and bark when absolutely necessary.
Respecting the plant and reciting mantras leads to
efficacious medicines. We also never touch the plant with
our feet as that conveys disrespect. We also believe that
a plant has the power to curse you if it is abused.
It is a power endowed to plants by the first teacher (Siddha)
of the Siddha system of medicine, Sage Agasthya. We do not
harvest the medicinal plants to sell at the markets but we
collect them primarily for our own healing practices. 12
3.5 Types of Traditional Knowledge
As noted in chapter I and as stated in Article 8(j), TK is a
conglomeration of ILCs’ knowledge, innovations and practices.
The communities whose BCPs are referenced above confirmed
this and made a distinction between different types of
BIO-CULTURAL COMMUNITY PROTOCOLS AS A
COMMUNITY-BASED RESPONSE TO THE CBD
knowledge, including ethno-veterinary knowledge, breeding
practices, ecological knowledge, and knowledge about the
use of plants to heal people. The Samburu communities spoke
at most length of the first three types of knowledge:
Our traditional knowledge has developed over time and
continues to evolve as we face new challenges. We have three
broad types of traditional knowledge: ethno-veterinary
knowledge, breeding practices and an understanding of the
ecology of the region that allows us to find water and grazing
for our animals. Notably, these different types of knowledge
are interdependent.
Ethno-veterinary knowledge: We have for centuries treated
our animals for diseases and other ailments using our
knowledge of the medicinal plants that grow on the plains
and in the forests. While we share common knowledge, we
have specializations among us. For example, men generally
treat cows, and women care for sheep. Women’s knowledge
is focused on treating Red Maasai sheep and is less adapted
to treating Dorper sheep. We also have traditional knowledge
relating to treating infants and adults for a range of ailments.
Each generation receives the earlier generation’s knowledge
and further develops it to tackle new challenges and according
to each individual’s skill as a healer.
Breeding practices: Because of the conditions in which we
live, we carefully breed our animals so as to ensure that they
suit our needs and preferences. We employ a number of
methods, including choosing breeding bulls and rams by
judging the mother’s ability to withstand drought, her color,
size, activity levels and the survival rate of the offspring. We
also maintain our herds’ and flocks’ diversity by buying
animals from our neighbors, or borrowing them. For example,
when sharing rams, the agreement is based on the principle
of reciprocity. If close by, we will provide it on the basis that
the favor will be returned. If the trip is very far, then in the first
instance we would send the animal with one other of our own
herds and the pair will be returned together with another
female animal as a gift.
11. Bio-cultural community Protocol of the Traditional Health Practitioners of Bushbuckridge. For more information contact the Executive Committee of the Traditional
Health Practitioners of Bushbuckridge, c/o Natural Justice: www.naturaljustice.org.za
12. Bio-cultural Community Protocol of the Traditional Healers of the Malayali Tribes. For more information contact Tamil Nadu Paramparya Siddha Vaidya Maha Sangam,
c/o the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions: www.frlht.org
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