Ritual Use of Ceratozamia totonacorum (Zamiaceae) Leaves in Santiago Ecatlán, Puebla, Mexico: Perspectives on Conservation

Abstract

This study focused on the use and management of Ceratozamia totonacorum leaves during the Day of the Dead in Santiago Ecatlán, an Indigenous Totonaca community located in the Sierra Norte of Puebla, Mexico. Ethnographical, ethnobotanical, and ecological methods were utilized to document the ritual use and traditional management practices of C. totonacorum. Additionally, this information was used to evaluate the impact and effect of leaf extraction on a C. totonacorum population. C. totonacorum plants grow on limestone cliffs and in adjacent agricultural fields. Experienced harvesters remove the leaves without damaging the plants, and when C. totonacorum leaves become scarce they are substituted by Chamaedorea spp. Our results show that these practices do not have a negative impact on the studied population. We conclude that community management practices have contributed to maintaining a stable population of C. totonacorum. We therefore consider the need to study the relationship between the permanence of ritual ceremonies and associated sustainable plant practices and the importance of projects based on a better understanding of ritual plant uses, which could contribute to sustainable resource and ecosystem conservation. This research demonstrates the relevance of co-designing comprehensive conservation strategies that vindicate the value and promote local expressions of traditional knowledge.