Plant Use Adaptation in Pamir: Sarikoli Foraging in the Wakhan Area, Northern Pakistan.

Abstract

Simple SummaryIn this cross-cultural ethnobotanical study, the food uses of wild food plants (WFPs) were recorded among two linguistic groups, i.e., the Sarikoli and the Wakhi people, living in the Broghil Valley of North Pakistan. A total of 29 wild food taxa were recorded. We found that the local knowledge linked to wild food plants has been completely homogenized, indicating that the Sarikoli, a cultural diaspora, have gradually adopted the traditional food system of the Wakhi. Moreover, the local knowledge of WFPs is gradually eroding in the two considered communities due to certain socio-political factors. In particular, legal sanctions on accessing natural resources and cross-border movement at the Pakistan–Afghan border are major issues that hinder socio-cultural sustainability among the two groups. Therefore, it is recommended that the legal restrictions be properly revised, and an inclusive policy should be adopted in this regard. In addition, local knowledge on food resources should be reinforced in future development and educational programs.The study recorded the food uses of wild food plants (WFPs) among the Sarikoli diaspora and the dominant Wakhi in Broghil Valley, North Pakistan, to understand their food adaptation, mainly by looking through the lens of food ethnobotanies. A total of 30 participants took part in the study, which included 15 elderly individuals from each ethnic group. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. We recorded 29 WFPs, mostly used as cooked vegetables and snacks. The food uses, as well as the local plant nomenclatures, linked to WFPs of the two studied groups were completely homogenized, which could be attributed to the cultural assimilation of the Sarikoli people to Wakhi culture. We found that although traditional knowledge on WFPs has been homogenized, social change in nearby regions is also threatening the traditional knowledge of the two communities, as evidenced by the smaller number of plants reported compared to that of all other field ethnobotanical studies conducted in nearby regions. Moreover, the growth of legal restrictions and sanctions on accessing natural resources are posing serious challenges to cultural resilience in the valley, and the restrictions on cross-border movement in particular are creating challenges for those who have cross-border kinship relationships between the two groups. We suggest specific measures, such as the promotion of food tourism and educational activities, to protect traditional knowledge and bicultural heritage from further erosion in the region.