How can traditional livelihoods find a place in contemporary conservation politics debates in India? Understanding community perspectives in Sundarban, West Bengal

Abstract

We document the economic and socio-cultural vulnerability of a forest-dependent community inhabiting the forest fringe island of Satjelia in the Indian Sundarban. Using simple artisanal methods, they have practiced traditional livelihoods like fishing and collecting wild honey from the forests for more than a century. Despite having established cultural integrity and traditional occupations, this group is not indigenous, and are therefore treated as 'others' and 'settlers.' An ethnographic study describes these various forms of livelihoods and the ways that threatens local subsistence. We also document the bureaucratic and hierarchical structure of protected area (PA) management, showing it has little or no accommodation of this community's local traditional knowledge. Finally, we ask whether there is any scope for integrating 'non-indigenous' environmental knowledge, for a more egalitarian transformation of socio ecological relations within these communities. Keywords: Conservation, conflict, indigenous, political ecology, Sundarban, traditional livelihoods RésuméNous documentons la vulnérabilité économique et socioculturelle d'une communauté tributaire de la forêt qui habite l'île de la sylviculture de Satjeliadans le Sundarban indien. En utilisant des methods artisanales simples, ils ont pratiqué des moyens de subsistence traditionnels comme la pêche et la collecte de miels auvage des forêts, depuis plus d'un siècle. Bien qu'ils aient établi l'intégrité culturelle et les professions traditionnelles, ce groupe n'est pas indigène et sont donc traités comme «autres» et «colons». Une étude ethnographique décrit ces différentes formes de moyens de subsistence et les moyens qui menacent la subsistance locale. Nous documentons également la structure bureaucratique et hiérarchique de la gestion des aires protégées (AP), qui ne tient guère compte des connaissances traditionnelles locales de cette communauté. Enfin, nous demandons s'il y a lieu d'intégrer les connaissances environnementales «non autochtones», pour une transformation plus égalitaire des relations socio-écologiques au sein de cescommunautés. Mots-clés: Conservation, conflits, indigènes, écologie politique, Sundarban, moyens de subsistence traditionnels ResumenNosotros documentamos la vulnerabilidad económica y socio-cultural de una comunidad dependiente de un bosque que habita la isla límite de Satjelia en el Sundarban Indio. Con el uso de sencillos métodos artesanales, ellos practican desde hace más de un siglo, modos de subsistencia tradicionales tales como la pesca y la recolección de miel silvestre de los bosques. A pesar de haber establecido una integridad cultural y ocupaciones tradicionales, este grupo no es indígena y por lo tanto son considerados como "otros" y "colonos". Se trata de estudio etnográfico describe estos diversos modos de subsistencia y las maneras en que amenazan la subsistencia local. También documentamos la estructura burocrática y jerárquica del manejo de área protegida (PA), demostrando que tiene un poco o nada de reco...

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