The Role of Indigenous Knowledge, Practices and Beliefs in Protecting the Environment: The Case of Paniya Community of Kerala

Abstract

The Anthropocene has seen human beings as a major driver of change and the planet is reaching tipping points. It is vital to protect our natural environments to reduce the rate of this environmental change. The main objective of the research is to find of the role of indigenous knowledge to protect the environment. It also looks into the factors impacting the transmission of indigenous knowledge. Secondary research was used to gain the background knowledge on the topic. Focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and observation were used to conduct the primary research. It was found that, despite being marginalized, the Paniya community of Kerala contribute to protecting the environment by protecting keystone species, taking resources sustainably, having an ecocentric attitude and giving total protection by maintaining sacred groves and hills. However, the culture is under threat of erosion due to several factors. The knowledge is under threat due to marginalization by other people, dispossession from their lands, Lack of usage, influence of other cultures and lack of effective mechanisms to protect it. The results have limitations as the number of participants are very few. Indigenous knowledge can complement Western scientific knowledge for protecting the environment. Partnership between the two and supporting indigenous communities to conserve the nature by providing land tenure rights and resources would be an effective step to achieve biodiversity conservation targets.