Homegardens in north-eastern Portugal: former features, roles, gendered knowledge and practices

Abstract

Resumen -Este estudio describe las características de los huertos familiares en una zona rural protegida del nordeste de Portugal, el Parque Natural de Montesinho, Enfoca los roles fundamentales en la cultura local, recopilados con la ayuda de metodologías etnográficas durante tres años (2002 a 2005). Las relaciones de género y el modo como afectan el uso de los recursos y la gestión de los huertos también se discute: los antiguos huertos familiares eran dominios femeninos administrados de acuerdo a los valores y los ideales de las mujeres. Por lo tanto, el conocimiento, las prácticas y los propósitos de las mujeres son reportados. Su manejo ha favorecido la manutención de los conocimientos y cultura local, de las técnicas y prácticas, de las variedades, a lo largo del tiempo. Sin embargo, la compleja estructura y los roles de estos espacios no han sido muy considerados en los programas de investigación y desarrollo rural, quizás porque las mujeres, las principales titulares de los conocimientos y maestrías, han sido a menudo marginadas. Los cambios en las sociedades rurales y la modernización del cotidiano han afectado la pertinencia de los huertos, sus funciones y gestión y han influido en el comportamiento de los diferentes actores, en la transmisión de conocimientos y la prevalencia de los huertos tradicionales. Nuevas oportunidades (i.e. agroturismo, productos orgánicos y de denominación de origen) pueden revertir esa situación en el medio plazo. En este caso, la transmisión de conocimientos y prácticas será vital para recuperar algunas de las funciones de los huertos. Palabras clave: Huertos familiares, ConoCimientos tradiCionales, relaCiones de género, Parque natural de montesinHo, nordeste de Portugal abstract -This study describes general homegardens former features and primary functions in a protected rural area of the North-eastern Portugal, the Natural Park of Montesinho, and focuses on fundamental socio-cultural roles intertwined with economic and ecological purposes registered during a three year period, from 2002 to 2005, using ethnographic methodologies. The gendered nature of local homegardens is also discussed: former homegardens used to be female domains managed according to female values and ideals. Thus, gendered knowledge and women's intentions and practices are reported throughout the text. Homegarden practices have maintained for a long time traditional knowledge, local culture and techniques and plant varieties. The complex structure and intertwined roles of Montesinho homegardens have been neglected by research and rural development professionals, perhaps because women, who were the primary experts and knowledge holders, were often marginalised Changes in rural societies and the modernisation of lifestyles have affected homegardens' relevance, roles and management and have influenced gardeners' behaviour, the persistence and transmission of traditional knowledge and homegardens prevalence as important garden sites. However, some participants considered that with new economic opportuniti...

Gendered plants and plant categorization by gender: classificatory and “storied” knowledge in Trás-os-Montes, Portugal

“…These results confirm similar findings of previous studies (Carvalho 2010;Carvalho & Morales 2013;Carvalho, 2016): within Portuguese rural contexts, that is, women and men agree as to the most common uses attributed to plants, but they differ about specific uses, such as in local traditional medicine and in rituals. Thus, while men and women plant knowledge are substantially overlapping, there are also female and male knowledge differences associated with their embodied experiences or "wayfaring" (Ingold 2011).…”

“…Evidence of different knowledge between women and men provides arguments to deconstruct the idea that rural societies are homogenous. It also raises awareness of the important role of women in the maintenance of local ecological knowledge, complementing studies carried out in Portugal (Carvalho 2016, Carvalho & Morales 2013 and other places (e.g. Kujawska et al 2017, Price 2006, Torres-Avilez et al 2016, Voeks 2007.…”

“…Plant nomenclature and classification can combine traditional and orally transmitted knowledge with more erudite approaches; local plant information can be mixed with exogenous knowledge especially that learned from the media and books, suggesting adaptive behavior for more global trends and lifestyle changes (Frazão-Moreira et al 2007, 2009. Nevertheless, traditional patterns of gendered division of labor remained: dwelling space, household tasks and rituals (domestic realm and Catholicism) are activities usually performed by women; forestry, hunting and fishing are male domains (Carvalho 2010(Carvalho , 2016. Concerning the farming system (e.g., agriculture, animal production, wild gathering and landscape management), men and women most often have different roles.…”

“…Women are gardeners and plant gatherers, skillful in produce storage for food, folk medicine, fuel and textiles and they provide fodder for small animal husbandry. Men usually manage cattle, arable land, permanent crops, woodlands, pastures, and forage crops (Carvalho 2010, 2016, Ribeiro 1997.…”

From the sea to the mountains - plant use in Ajara, Samegrelo and Kvemo Svaneti, Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus

“…Overall the research region showed a lower species number in comparison to a wide variety of studies published from other parts of Europe. The number of food species was low in comparison to other areas in the wider Mediterranean and Caucasus (Carvalho 2016;Dolina et al 2017;Hajdari et al 2018;Kasper-Pakosz et al 2016;Korkmaz et al 2016;Mattalia et al 2020;Melián et al 2017;Mustafa et al 2020;Nedelcheva et al 2017;Oztürk et al 2018;Polat et al 2017;Pawera et al 2017;Pieroni and Cattero 2018;Pieroni andSõukand 2017, 2019;Pieroni 2017;Pieroni et al , 2020Savo et al 2019;Sõukand et al 2017Sõukand et al , 2019Sõukand et al , 2020Yeşil et al 2019), and the number of medicinal species also was lower than in comparative studies (Pieroni and Sõukand 2017;Nedelcheva et al 2017;Melián et al 2017;Sõukand et al-2017;Carvalho 2016;Polat et al 2017;Kasper-Pakosz et al 2016;Korkmaz et al 2016a;Dolina et al 2017, Korkmaz et al 2016bHajdari et al 2018;Oztürk et al 2018;Pawera et al 2017;Pieroni 2017;. The low variety of fungal species used as food was astonishing, especially when compared to other adjacent areas in Georgia, e.g.…”