Themes
tribal ecological knowledge
Galo’s Water Resource Management, arunachal pradesh
The Galo tribe uses traditional fishing methods like Lipum, involving stones and boulders to create fish shelters. This sustainable technique ensures fish populations remain stable, reflecting their deep understanding of aquatic ecosystems.
The Galo people actively protect forests by following taboo-based restrictions on certain trees and areas. These practices prevent ecological harm and maintain biodiversity, showcasing their commitment to forest conservation.
By building tiny canals for irrigation and treating riverbanks as sacrosanct, the Galo tribe uses natural means to preserve rivers and streams. This strategy ensures sustainable water management and long-term resource availability.
The Galo tribe know the fauna very well and they utilize different animal species for food, medicine, and other purposes. Their ethnozoological practices also indicate an understanding of local ecosystems and interdependence between species.
The Galo believe in the existence of spirit-world powers that make periodic rituals necessary to pacify these forces. The rituals- comprising land, water, and forests- therefore connote a blend of spiritualism with environmental stewardship, thus demonstrating that cultural beliefs and sustainable resource management cannot be separated from one another.