Dissertation
Learning to Survive Social-Ecological Risks: Cultural Resilience among Sidama Farmers and Chabu Forager-Farmers in Southwestern Ethiopia
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
01/2016
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/112362
Abstract
Anthropologists have a long history of describing how small-scale societies use their cultural knowledge and skills to adapt to their natural environment and survive social-environmental perturbations, such as drought and disease. Existing studies of cultural resilience provide useful details about local responses to ecological risks, but little is known about the perceived saliency of different types of social-environmental risks and the alternative survival strategies used by local people; what youth know about risk and survival during difficult times, and how youth acquire cultural resilience strategies. In order to address these issues, this dissertation focuses on how local people in two southwestern Ethiopian ethnic groups living in different natural environments and practicing distinct subsistence activities, Sidama farmers and Chabu forager-farmers perceive and respond to risky times; what adolescents know about difficult times, and how adolescents acquire the knowledge. Several ethnographic studies exist on the Sidama, but little is known about the Chabu and this is one of the few ethnographic accounts of this group. Data were collected through semi-structured and open-ended interviews, systematic behavioral observations (focal and scan follows), and informal participant observation with 452 Sidama and 175 Chabu adults and adolescents. Results indicate that Sidama and Chabu have experienced a diverse range of risks that were often specific to their historical, social, or ecological contexts. Food shortages, drought and poor resource management (baashe) were particularly salient risks among the Sidama, while exposure to diseases and food shortages were risks among the Chabu. In terms of surviving risky times, knowing how to save for the future (miinjira) was particularly important among the Sidama, while help from others and having some knowledge about farming were especially salient among the Chabu. Sidama and Chabu adolescents’ knowledge about risks and how to survive difficult times were generally similar to those discussed by adults. In terms of how adolescents acquired skills and knowledge about risk and survival, multiple types of teaching, including verbal instruction, demonstration, and telling stories by parents and other adults were important but that listening and active participation in daily activities, including the coffee ceremony, were also important learning mechanisms.
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Details
- Title
- Learning to Survive Social-Ecological Risks: Cultural Resilience among Sidama Farmers and Chabu Forager-Farmers in Southwestern Ethiopia
- Creators
- Samuel Jilo Dira
- Contributors
- Barry S Hewlett (Advisor)Bonnie L Hewlett (Committee Member)Marsha B Quinlan (Committee Member)Robert J Quinlan (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Anthropology
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 277
- Identifiers
- 99900581724401842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation