Abstract
BackgroundMazri palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.) is a member of the family Arecaceae, native to Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. In Pakistan, it is used since long time for various purposes. This species plays a significant cultural and economic role in the daily lives of many rural areas in Pakistan and adjacent countries. However, the handcrafted products made up of this palm are often mainly known by specific local communities rather than by a broader range of people.MethodsEighty-six structured and semi-structured interviews were conducted from Mazri growing areas, villages, and markets of urban centers during the fieldwork that was conducted in diverse regions of Pakistan. Interviewees included 27 Mazri farmers, 17 locals retaining Traditional Knowledge in handcrafting Mazri palm (12 were men and 5 were women), 23 handicrafts experts (21 were men and 2 were women), and 19 sellers. The age of the informants ranged from 14 to 83 years. Study participants shared detailed information about various traditional utilizations of the Mazri palm.ResultsMature leaves of Mazri palm are used to produce mats, baskets, hand fans, hats, cages, hot pots, salt pots, brooms, etc. in the sudy area. Hot pots, salt pots, mats, baskets, and ropes represent highly used items. The mats are used for various purposes like drying grains, performing prayers, sitting, and sleeping. As a whole, 39 different kinds of handcrafted products from the leaves were found. Our findings revealed also that other parts of the plant, ie. petioles, fruits, and bark, have been used, although more rarely, by the locals. The palm uses differ accordingly to the different cultural areas of Pakisitan, thus demonstrating that local cultural heritage significantly informs Traditional Knowledge and practices related to the use of Mazri palm. The findings suggest also that this plant represents a crucial resource for the livelihood of the local communities in dry areas of the western borders of Pakistan, starting right from the coastal areas of Baluchistan up to District Bajaur in the North, where other farming activities there are difficult due to drought conditions.ConclusionsTraditional Knowledge about the sustainable utilization of Mazri palm is eroded in Pakistan among the younger generations due to rapid globalization and industrialization processes and appropriate strategies for revitalizing this heritage in a sustainable way should be urgently fostered.
Highlights
Plants and plant materials have always been components of the indigenous cultures throughout the world since ancient times
Local knowledge about the items prepared from Mazri palm was common and very popular among the Focus Group 1 but was decreasing rapidly among the youngsters, as well as among the Focus Group 2 members
The data show that the Mazri palm has been and still is a source of fibers for weaving various utensils and ropes and for producing mats, fences, houses, roofs, hand fans, baskets, brooms, trays, prayer mats of various sizes, grain bins, hot pots, hats, and traditional sandals [2] (Fig. 4)
Summary
Plants and plant materials have always been components of the indigenous cultures throughout the world since ancient times. Uses of fibers in handicrafts, utensils, and other goods have a significant contribution in the evolution of cultures and people’s comforts and quality of daily life [2]. Significant numbers of these fiber goods are linked to domestic activities such as the production and use of furniture, the preparation of food, and the production of cloths [3]. Despite these facts, ethnobotanical and/or ethnographic studies focusing on handcrafted products are still scarce and even more rare those studies that try to investigate cultural variations of Traditional Knowledge linked to handicrafts. The handcrafted products made up of this palm are often mainly known by specific local communities rather than by a broader range of people
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