[P2P-F] Traditional Indigenous Knowledge listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage, in the Colombian Amazon

Thu Feb 17 02:20:34 CET 2011

2011/2/15 Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>:
> sam, there is also an issue of population growth,
>
> slash and burn was okay in a non-industrial society with few people, but
> with a population explosion, and in the context of additional problems from
> industrial pollution, it increasingly becomes problematic,
>
> Michel
>

Agree, although this is not so much about slash and burn as the
traditional indigenous culture approach which I understand was a soil
restoration method that was practiced in moderation. Plus it was
practiced in conjunction with either cultivation or a period of system
renewal where further burning was not practiced. This is discussed
extensively in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1491:_New_Revelations_of_the_Americas_Before_Columbus
there were deep relationships between how indigenous people
terra-formed their environments, and the ecologies that emerged in
North and South America. There is evidence of a change in ecologies
even from the first visits of Europeans to the subsequent visits 100
years later, when it is speculated massive amounts of Native Americans
died off by being exposed to European diseases.

Still, there could be issues with more people doing it, I can see that point.

Yet, there is also a problem with the fact that there is currently
very little total worldwide human soil restoration of any kind vs the
rate of soil depletion as I understand it. We are backing ourselves
into some corners as a species.

> 2011/2/14 Samuel Rose <samuel.rose at gmail.com>
>>
>> 2011/2/8 Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>:
>> > http://www.gaiafoundation.org/content/highlights-2010-and-path-ahead
>> >
>> > Dear Carolina,
>> >
>> > I wonder if you had any comment on this? Is this a good thing?
>> >
>> > Michel
>> >
>> > --
>> > P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net  -
>> > http://blog.p2pfoundation.net
>> >
>> > Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss:
>> > http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation
>> >
>> > Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens;
>> > http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens
>> >
>> > Commons Strategies Group, http://www.commonsstrategies.org/
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>> An aside: I thought it was interesting that Gaia Foundation lists
>> http://www.gaiafoundation.org/content/biochar as a "False Solution".
>>
>>
>> Christoph Steiner has some serious research work into biochar and
>> terra preta/terra mulata
>> http://biochar.bioenergylists.org/?q=taxonomy/term/118 and the
>> archaeology of biochar in Amazonia.
>>
>> Janice Thies's work is also worth reading on this subject
>> http://css.cals.cornell.edu/cals/css/people/faculty.cfm?netId=jet25
>>
>> Turns out that biochar at least *was* part of the cultural heritage of
>> indigenous peoples of Amazonia (and North America). It was even part
>> of the very ecology itself (natural ecologies evolved and adapted to
>> human fire activities on both continents. We can still see this today
>> in species like the Jack Pine native to my home here in Michigan
>> http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_22664-60337--,00.html
>> which adapted to a landscape where indigenous peoples regularly
>> started fires).
>>
>> The contrasting argument is that the ecology of biomass in those times
>> likely was able to easily afford regular burning, where now massive
>> deforestation has reduced the global capacity. Still, I think the
>> ecologies of Amazonia totally change without indigenous people and
>> fire transforming the landscapes. It is part of the real heritage of
>> the place from what I understand.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > P2P Foundation - Mailing list
>> > http://www.p2pfoundation.net
>> > https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> --
>> Sam Rose
>> Future Forward Institute and Forward Foundation
>> Tel:+1(517) 639-1552
>> Cel: +1-(517)-974-6451
>> skype: samuelrose
>> email: samuel.rose at gmail.com
>> http://forwardfound.org
>> http://futureforwardinstitute.org
>> http://hollymeadcapital.com
>> http://p2pfoundation.net
>> http://socialmediaclassroom.com
>>
>> "The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human
>> ambition." - Carl Sagan
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> P2P Foundation - Mailing list
>> http://www.p2pfoundation.net
>> https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation
>
>
>
> --
> P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net  - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net
>
> Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss:
> http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation
>
> Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens;
> http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens
>
> Commons Strategies Group, http://www.commonsstrategies.org/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> P2P Foundation - Mailing list
> http://www.p2pfoundation.net
> https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation
>
>

-- 
--
Sam Rose
Future Forward Institute and Forward Foundation
Tel:+1(517) 639-1552
Cel: +1-(517)-974-6451
skype: samuelrose
email: samuel.rose at gmail.com
http://forwardfound.org
http://futureforwardinstitute.org
http://hollymeadcapital.com
http://p2pfoundation.net
http://socialmediaclassroom.com

"The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human
ambition." - Carl Sagan