Ethnographic Sources Research Articles

When useful knowledge is not ‘useful knowledge’: astrology at universities in Banaras (c. 1800–2000)

ABSTRACT The setting up of departments of Vedic Astrology in Indian Universities, promoted by the governing Hindu nationalist party (BJP) in 2001, aroused strong reactions and was amply debated by political and social analysts. However, no scholarly investigation has been hitherto conducted about the historical, social and intellectual context in which astrology was shaped, and is still practiced, as an academic discipline in India. This paper interrogates the processes through which jyotiṣa (the astral discipline) has been transmitted and adapted to the academic institution by focusing on two Banaras universities – the Banaras Hindu University and the Sampurnananda Sanskrit University. In both, jyotiṣa has been taught since colonial times. Based on a combined analysis of historical, textual, and ethnographic sources, this study shows that debates about the legitimacy of astrology dating from colonial times have revolved less around the question of its truth and validity than around different ways of understanding and characterizing ‘useful knowledge’.

The problem of implementation of imperial veterinarian practices into the system of Kazakh animal husbandry: primary sources analyses

The article analyzes the complex of collected sources to study the problem of the formation anddevelopment of the veterinary service system in the Turgai region, as a colonial project, towards theimplementation of pragmatic goals. The sources represent workflow documents (deloproizvodstvennyedokumenty), materials of statistical and research expeditions of the second half of the nineteenthcentury, a number of scientific and publicistic publications, and scientific works of the conductors ofimperial politics, folklore and ethnographic sources, which are classified and divided into several groups.Due to the systematization of sources, according to the type of production and inherent vision, they wereconditionally divided into two corpuses of different worldviews. Sources divided to the correspondingprinciple were classified and developed for each group of sources general principles of work, and, dependingon the purpose, ideology and subject matter of the sources, were subdivided into types. Thesystematization and classification of these types were supplemented by an analysis of semantic meanings,genre specificity of sources, which study the reasons, patterns and their changes. Thus, in turn, willallow, using new methods of source analysis, to comprehensively investigate the problem of the formationand development of the veterinary service in the steppe, which brought about the transformation ofthe traditional economy of the Kazakhs.Key words: workflow documents (deloproizvodstvennye dokumenty), materials of expeditions, scientificworks, folklore, ethnographic sources, the system of veterinary service, transformation, Turgairegion.

Whaling in Iron Age to post-medieval Scotland

Cetacean remains have been recovered from archaeological sites all over Europe, but are especially abundant in Scotland. These remains originate from all periods and have often been worked into artefacts or tools, including chopping blocks, plaques, combs, pegs, snecks and perforated vertebral epiphyseal discs. It still remains unclear which species were exploited and to what extent active whaling was undertaken in the region. To address these questions Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) was undertaken on 35 cetacean specimens from five sites in Scotland (Jarlshof, Brough of Birsay, Quoygrew, Deerness and Freswick Links), dating from the Iron Age to the post-medieval period. Furthermore, morphological analysis was performed on the material in order to optimise the ZooMS identifications.
 A large variety of species were identified, including high numbers of Balaenidae sp and Globicephalinae sp. Comparison with other ZooMS studies in north-western Europe revealed equally high specimen numbers for these species, but also fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), sperm whale (Phy-seter macrocephalus) and humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). Moreover, one grey whale (Eschrichtius robustus) was identified in the Scottish specimens, adding to an increasing number of specimens indicating that the grey whale was once abundant in European waters. Furthermore, only one specimen of the common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) was identified, despite modern stranding data which suggests this is the most common large whale species in Scottish waters.
 The large variety of species identified suggests that opportunistic scavenging was likely the primary method of acquiring cetaceans, though historical and ethnographic sources suggest that two distinct forms of active whaling may have occasionally been undertaken. The high number of Globicephalinae specimens from Jarlshof raise the possibility that drive-hunting might have already been undertaken at the site during the Iron Age.

Шошоолог: этноним и этническая история

Introduction. This article under takes a study of the clan name Shoshoolog (Šošōlog) in the context of ethnogenesis and ethnic history of the Mongolic and Turkic peoples of Inner Asia and Siberia. New historical and ethnographical data, including the evidence of ethnonymics as a part of the ethnic history of the Mongolic and Turkic peoples of the region will contribute to the knowledge of the migration and settlement history of the Shoshoolog people. The study aims at examining the etymology of the term šošōloγ, the area where it wasspread and theways of itsspread. Data and methods. The authors have taken into account written documents, ethnographical and folklore sources that contained references to the ethnonym in question. The written sources of the period between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, mainly in Russian, such as Cossacks’ otpiski (reports), and, more recent, travel and census reports, contain various forms of the ethnonym, often incorrectly spelled but still of interest as evidence pointing at the settlement areas of the ethnic group, as well as a source for linguistic speculation. The ethnographical sources include references to the ethnic group in question based on the legends and sagas shedding light on the people’s origin and settlement patterns both in the Baikal area and in Mongolia. The folklore texts written down by N. N. Poppe, S. P. Baldaev, etc. Include the stories of the Shoshoolog as a Buryat clan with a strong Shamanic background, as well as various forms of the ethnonym. Granted the available knowledge of the historical patterns in the language evolution, the orthographical forms of the ethnonym contained in different records were used as the data for further phonetical reconstructions and localizations of the ethnonym’s phonetic shape in terms of chronological and geographical dimensions. This data, alongside other material on the ethnonymics and onomastics of Mongolic and Turkic peoples, contributes to the linguistic part of the database in the field. Conclusions. A comparative analysis of ethnonymic evidence contained in a variety of sources examined resulted in phonetic reconstructions of the ethnonym under study to finally shed new light on its etymology, as well as to project further developments of its phonetic shape.

Традиционная хозяйственная культура татар в трудах Н.А. Халикова (памяти ученого и коллеги)

The article highlights the main directions of scientific work of Nail Alfredovich Khalikov, a well-known Russian ethnographer who studied the life and traditional economy of the Tatars, the author of significant academic works on the ethnography of the people. The main research of the scientist is related to the collection and interpretation of ethnographic sources (expedition, museum, archival, visual) and preparation for publishing “Historical and Ethnographic Atlas of the Tatar People”, where he was the author and a permanent member of the editorial board. In the 1970s–2000s, rural settlements of the Volga-Ural Tatars (Tatarstan, Udmurtia, Chuvashia, Bashkiria, Mari El, Kirov, Penza, Nizhny Novgorod, Ulyanovsk, Perm, Orenburg, Chelyabinsk regions), then Astrakhan (Astrakhan, Saratov regions) and Siberian Tatars (Tyumen, Omsk, Tomsk regions) were examined according to a special program developed by N.A. Khalikov. As a result of that work, a source base on traditional farming, including agriculture and folk crafts, as well as numerous monographs, publications in scientific collections, articles in the multi-volume “Tatar Encyclopedia” was created. Currently, N.A. Khalikov’s expedition materials (field diaries, photographs, sketches and drawings) have been partially digitized and are stored in the archive of the Marjani Institute of History of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences.

Кумысные праздники, ритуалы и церемонии в контексте помнящей культуры Великой степи

Based on written and field sources, this article examines kumis holidays, rituals and ceremonies in historical retrospect and modern reality. According to Chinese, Armenian, Central Asian sources of the 13th–17th centuries, the ritual significance of kumis is shown which for centuries retained the role of the main ceremonial attribute in the framework of military rituals and sacrifices in the culture of the peoples of Central Asia. Kumis was sprinkled on military standards on the eve of the battle. It acted as a sacrificial libation to Heaven, the cardinal points, and the mountains. Kumis was a prestigious drink and an obligatory treat both in the nomad tent of a simple steppe dweller and at state receptions and festivals of the great steppe empires. This drink served as the main treat at the feast. The order of its distribution semantically designated the hierarchies in the steppe empires. In the Kazakh steppe, the traditions of kumis ceremonies and holidays continue, according to ethnographic sources of the 19th–20th centuries, to maintain stability. In the twentieth century, the prestigious nature of kumis among the Kazakhs is still noted, and the ritual character of kumis treats is indicated. Currently, kumis in Kazakhstan still plays the role of a prestigious drink, which is present not only in calendar rituals but also in feasts organized as part of the rituals of the life cycle. Field studies carried out in July-September 2021 give reason to speak not only about the sustainability of kumis holidays within the framework of the spring and autumn calendar rituals, but also their actualization as an element of intangible cultural heritage and an application for setting a world record. In contrast to the Middle Ages, in the ceremony of treating kumis today, a change in the nature of the religious rite and purpose is noted. The complex of kumis holidays that arose in ancient times is considered today by Kazakhs as a cultural heritage, as a place of memory. It is used as a symbolic capital for organizing and carrying out various kinds of events.

Reconstructing the sequence of an Inca Period (1470-1532 CE) camelid sacrifice at El Pacífico, Peru

Animal sacrifice has played an important role as a material expression of the ritual behavior practiced by different societies around the world. In the South American Andes, the ceremonial immolation of llamas is well documented by both ethnohistoric and ethnographic sources. Nevertheless, archaeological evidence of animal sacrifice remains poorly documented. In this paper, we report the burial of two young camelids from El Pacífico, a Formative Period ceremonial site located on the central coast of Peru. AMS radiocarbon dates suggest the ritual sacrifice occurred when the architecture of the site was no longer in use, around the time of the Inca conquest. Based on the presence of cut marks and fly pupae, we suggest that one of the camelids, a yearling llama, was sacrificed by removal of its heart and buried shortly thereafter. Similarly, given the location of cut marks and representation of skeletal parts, we infer that the second camelid was slaughtered for human consumption prior to burial. In accordance with documented Andean rites, archaeological evidence from El Pacifico suggests that practitioners of camelid sacrifice followed a behavioral script following the selection of the animal to its final interment. We hypothesize the costly performance of this ceremony at an ancestral sacred site was part of a social and political strategy for promoting intergroup social cohesion during the arrival of the Incas to the region.

John C. Swanson. Tangible Belonging: Negotiating Germanness in Twentieth-Century Hungary.

John C. Swanson. <i>Tangible Belonging: Negotiating Germanness in Twentieth-Century Hungary.</i>

Mari сlothing in the funeral and memorial rituals (late XIX – early XX century)

Introduction. The paper considers the Mari clothing for funeral and memorial rituals, its specific features, and functions. The purpose of the research is to define a role and application that clothes have in ceremonies. Materials and Methods. As the research materials for the article, the author used ethnographic sources published in the XIX and early XX centuries, field journals by Tatyana Kryukova belonged to the Archive of the Russian Museum of Ethnography, as well as the author’s personal field research materials, collected during personal expeditionary activities in the Mari El Republic. The structural-functional and comparatively historical methods were the major methods for the research. The research materials were collected by means of participant observation and semi-structural interview methods. Results and Discussion. The Mari clothing during the funeral and memorial ceremonies marked two core functions, being represented by a costume of the deceased person and as an independent ritual object. Dressing the deceased person entailed a number of taboos whereas some clothes of the deceased were used to fill up the coffin. During the memorial rituals, the clothing of the deceased became a part of the «substitution» ritual when the role of the deceased was taken on by living people who were present at the ceremony. Apart from that, the clothing served as a present for the participants of the ceremony. Conclusion. A change of clothes in the lifecycle rituals marked a transfer of the clothes’ owner from one condition to another. A deceased person was a key figure during the funeral rite, while a change of his clothes facilitated their separation from the living ones. The costume itself was characterized by the inversion of the details and revealed its reference to wedding items. In the context of the memorial ceremonies, the clothing functioned as means of communication between a deceased and living ones, whereas its prolonged use accepted as a gift allowed maintaining the communication.

Polish artists in Kazakhstan: with love to the steppe

The article analyzes the cultural and creative heritage of artists of Polish descent who found themselves in Kazakhstan for various reasons in the period from the middle of the 19th to the end of the 20th centuries. In addition to their unconditional artistic value, the results of their creative efforts are of great scientific importance for modern Kazakhstan as unique ethnographic sources and documentary evidence of the daily graft and life of the Kazakh steppe. Domestic historical science already has a certain reserve dedicated to various sociopolitical, cultural and economic aspects of Kazakh-Polish relations, where the deportation of Poles and the formation of Kazakhstan’s Polonia are of particular importance. However, the creative heritage of Polish artists in Kazakhstan fell into the field of vision of scientists extremely occasionally. While its cultural and art historical context is able to shed light on many facets of the history, ethnography and culture of the Kazakh people. During the research, retrospective, comparative-historical and formal-stylistic campaigns were used. The result of the research is a retrospective analysis of the works of some of the most prominent Polish artists, due to various factors, for whom the Great Steppe has become not only a home, but also a source of inspiration and strength.

Cultural Astronomy in Hispanic-Indigenous Contexts of Central Chile

We present the results of an archaeoastronomical analysis of structures dating from the Inca and early colonial periods in the Mapocho River basin, Chile. Our purpose is to show possible continuities or ruptures in the creation and management of architectural and natural spaces, particularly those linked to the observation of astronomical phenomena with ceremonial and calendrical significance in the Andean world. We focus on Santiago, where we undertook topographical and horizon survey work at the Main Square, Metropolitan Cathedral, San Francisco Church and Santa Lucía Hill, and evaluate documentary and ethnographic sources. Using models developed in cultural astronomy and landscape archaeology, we found these places were ancient observation spots for the Sun and Moon around the solstices, equinoxes and lunar standstills. Sightlines (ceques) may have connected these places to potentially sacred elements of the environment from a central point located in the Main Square (haukaypata).

Envisioning a Catholic Past, Present and Future: Conversion, Recuperation and Andean Christianity in Talavera, Peru

In the colonial era, many Spanish missionaries in the Andes sought a total temporal and cultural break between the pagan past and desired a Christian future of indigenous Andeans. Discussions of Christian conversion in the modern-day Andes have often echoed this line of thinking, portraying conversion—whether to Protestantism or to Roman Catholicism—as an event of radical discontinuity, and mapping the rupture of conversion onto the rupture of the Spanish invasion and subsequent evangelisation of the Americas. In doing so, however, scholars have often portrayed Catholicism as a veneer over the ‘authentic’ Andes—which was assumed to not be Catholic, and indeed could never be. Recently, however, in the south-central Peruvian Andean parish of Talavera—under the guidance of a first generation of an indigenous Catholic priesthood, made up entirely of men born and raised in the local area—discourses surrounding conversion portray the past as a source of continuity rather than discontinuity with Catholicism. Drawing from historical and ethnographic sources, this article demonstrates that although conversion has been and continues to be an important point of reference in contemporary Roman Catholicism in the Andes, the question of what people convert from has shifted. Today, the Andes are spoken of as already inherently and profoundly Catholic; conversion, in the sense of the need to make the Andes ‘really’ Catholic, is considered long accomplished. As the article discusses, in a national context where Catholicism is dominant and ubiquitous to the point of hegemony, this is an inherently political stance which runs counter to longstanding harmful stereotypes of indigenous Andeans as not ‘real’ Catholics and thus unable to be ‘real’ Peruvians.

Anthropology of disease. In the wake of the Arctic Circle epidemics: field materials of I.S. Gurvich

The unique body of materials collected by the Soviet ethnographer and the North scholar I.S. Gurvich (1919–1992) in places of compact residence of the indigenous peoples of Yakutia (the Yukagir expedition of 1959) for the first time determined scientific interest in the problem of medical anthropology, which reflected original ideas about diseases and health as a vital unity (body and soul), as well as symbolic “charging” of medical practices. The purpose of this research is an attempt to understand the spiritual experience of the peoples of Yakutia in the context of social, epidemiological, and climatic disasters. An interpretation of the visual image of epidemics in the traditional worldview of the indigenous peoples of Yakutia is given. The main object of this research, which recon-ciles the past and present, is the traditional world of long-lasting “perception” and “experience” of mass epidemics by indigenous people of the North. The methodological innovation of the paper is the study of colonial diseases in the framework of social and cognitive anthropology. With the example of local ideas about diseases and treatment in different ethnic communities of North Asia (the Yakuts, Evens, and Yukagirs), we analyze a complex socio-cultural phenomenon that emerged in the 17th century from the historical contacts between local and foreign origin cultures. The cultural dimension of the epidemic diseases within the borders of the Arctic circle, based on the historical and ethnographic sources of the Northern expeditions of the Soviet ethnologist I.S. Gurvich, is the first attempt of the cognitive analysis, the image of the disease and symbolic strategies for its prevention. A broad semiotic analysis of the concept of disease in the indigenous peoples of the Arctic at the level of linguistic, histori-cal, mythological, folklore and ritual texts allowed us to identify the original layer of demonological representations associated with mass epidemics and symbolic strategies for their prevention. Cultural codes of the demonic char-acter-disease (space, color, object, action, ritual) are identified. Sacred practices of influencing the disease were expressed in the following ways: foresight; conciliation; gifting/redemption; deception techniques; and deliverance. Dis-eases are personified and encoded using certain characters. Obviously, the semiotic system serving the image of dis-ease in the framework of the local ethno-cultural traditions reflected the local specifics.

‘Gilded Gravel in the Bowl’: Ireland’s cuisine and culinary heritage in the poetry of Seamus Heaney

ABSTRACT Seamus Heaney’s poetry is rich in detail about agricultural and food practices in his native Northern Ireland from the 1950s onwards, such as cattle-trading, butter-churning, eel-fishing, blackberry-picking or home-baking. Often studied from an ecocritical perspective, the abundance of agricultural and culinary scenes in Heaney’s work makes a gastrocritical focus on food and foodways suitable. Food has been recognized as a highly condensed social fact, and writers have long tapped into its multi-layered meanings to illuminate socio-cultural circumstances, making literature a valuable ethnographic source. A gastrocritical reading of Heaney’s work from 1966 to 2010, drawing on Rozin’s Structure of Cuisine, shows that the foodstuffs and culinary techniques featured in the poetry reflect historic and contemporary Irish cuisine and culture as explained by food-historical and folkloristic research, giving his work a particularly Irish cultural signature. In turn, Heaney’s poetic sensibilities and language craft may contribute to our verstehen of Ireland’s culinary heritage.

Permanent metal jewelry in Mordovian female costumes: ethno-culturological aspect

This article trace the origins of using permanent metal jewelry in traditional clothing of the Mordovian people, as well as characterizes the role of metal products in culture. From the perspective of the currently popular brocade, sparkling fabrics, it seems relevant to refer to the domestic tradition of costume embroidery with metal pendants, beads, pearls that shine in the sun, and to the analysis of peculiarities of of Erzya and Moksha embroidery of the XIX &amp;ndash; early XX centuries, known for simple but very effective methods of decorating female costume. The novelty of this work is defined by the absence of special research dedicated to permanent metal d&amp;eacute;cor of the Mordovian costume; the need to determine the ratio between natural and synthetic materials used in embroidery; their interrelation with the traditional norms and aesthetic preferences of the Mordovian people. The object of this research is the traditional Mordovian costume, while the subject is the specificity of including small metal items (pendants, beads, pearls) into embroidery of the elements of festive and ritual clothes of the XIX &amp;ndash; early XX centuries. The goal consists in analysis of the tradition of using metal items in embroidery, as well as in cognition of the meanings of this material in folk culture. Analysis is conducted on the new archaeological and ethnographic sources, archival materials on the history of culture and art of the Mordovian region. The author highlights and characterizes various techniques of using sequins in the Moksha and Erzya embroidery of the XIX &amp;ndash; early XX centuries, which testify to the complexity of ethnogenesis of the Mordovian people.

Vocabulary for Lower Back and Lumbar Pain in Russian Dialects: an Overview

The semantic-motivational and etymological analysis of the Russian dialectal designations of lumbar and lumbar pain is presented. The material was extracted from dictionaries of Russian dialects, from unpublished card files of the Ural University toponymic expedition to the territories of the Russian North and the Upper Volga region, as well as folklore and ethnographic sources related to folk medicine. The main semantic-motivational models underlying the designation of the lower back, which can reflect the idea of the “topography” of this part of the body, correlation with adjacent bodily areas, the functions of the lower back, and pain symptoms are considered. It is noted that in the “lumbar” vocabulary the main place belongs to the names of lumbar pain, the abundance of which is determined by the nature of agricultural labor. It has been shown that several names contain an indication of the localization of pain, but in most cases the nature of the pain is conveyed — cutting, stabbing, aching, etc. The authors analyze linguistic material in combination with folklore and ethnographic: texts of conspiracies, ritual dialogues, descriptions of magical healing practices. Sign complexes are identified, within which the designations of pain symptoms are projected onto methods, means and tools of treatment. In such complexes, the principle of etymological magic can be realized, consistent with the concept of the “witchcraft” origin of pain symptoms. Motivational and etymological solutions for dark words are proposed.

The origin of the Subcarpathian choreographic culture and its perception in literary sources

The aim of the article — to analyze and highlight the preconditions for the emergence of Subcarpathian choreographic culture and to carry out historiographical analysis of published artistic, folklore, ethnographic literary sources, which are focused on the consideration and perception of the origin and development of dance culture of Subcarpathia.&#x0D; The methodology. General scientific, specific scientific and special methods were used to reveal the general principles of the research topic. The basic methodological basis is based on the culturological approach. Since culture is constantly in the process of movement, a hermeneutic approach and a historical method of research were used to study it. The method of analysis is a thorough method that was used in the study of various literature sources and substantiation of conclusions.&#x0D; The results. It can be stated that the issue of the emergence of the culture of Subcarpathia has not been studied sufficiently. The first mention of its origin is found in the chronicles. The fiction reflects the life, way of life, culture, dance in particular, the people of Subcarpathia. Of great value are historical and ethnographic works in which scholars study the rites and dance traditions of the region. Researches of choreographic art by V. Avramenko, K. Vasylenko, V. Verkhovynets, R. Herasymchuk are more immersed in the coverage of the development of choreographic art. Modern scientists continue and improve the scientific works on the theory of choreography that are based on the works and creative heritage of their predecessors. However, there is a lack of research on the interaction of regional cultures and the cultures of neighbouring peoples in relation to the culture of Subcarpathia, which gives impetus to further research in this area.&#x0D; In our opinion, in terms of research by scientists and analysis of literary sources, the choreographic art of the Carpathian region was formed for a fairly long period of time and continues its development today.&#x0D; The scientific topicality. This work is probably the first attempt to investigate the moment of origin of Subcarpathian culture, the influence of other cultures and to analyze and structure in more detail the literary sources that reveal this issue, as this issue has not acquired a sufficient comprehensive coverage of modern domestic science.&#x0D; The practical significance. The information contained in the article can be useful for students, teachers and researchers of Subcarpathian culture.

THE “SHALIANI” ICON: HISTORY AND NARRATIONS

The paper discusses the correlation of the traditional mode of life and religious beliefs and analyses the social interactions in connection to the sacred sites and holy objects. The case of “Shaliani” displaying the evidence of inportance of traditional value systems. “Shaliani“ is an icon of Kala St Kvirike Monastery, in Svaneti Georgia. The icon is considered to have a power, which is admired till nowadays. The belief is symbolically focused on the “Shaliani” icon and it is the driving force of the social life. This power is constructed through the narratives spread among the local population. The historical and ethnographic sources and data are displaying interesting facts and legends bound together and legitimasing the perceptions regarding “Shaliani”

Much Ado About Facebook? Evidence from 80 Congressional Campaigns in Chile

ABSTRACT How do political candidates combine social media campaign tools with on-the-ground political campaigns to pursue segmented electoral strategies? We argue that online campaigns can reproduce and reinforce segmented electoral appeals. Furthermore, our study suggests that electoral segmentation remains a broader phenomenon that includes social media as but one of many instruments by which to appeal to voters. To test our argument, we analyze the case of the 2017 legislative elections in Chile. We combine an analysis of Facebook and online electoral campaign data from 80 congressional campaigns that competed in three districts with ethnographic sources (i.e., campaigns observed on the ground and in-depth interviews with candidates). The results of this novel study suggest that intensive online campaigning mirrors offline segmentation.

Birds and places: What the lexicon reveals about multilingualism

Aims and objectives: The paper describes the current multilingual language ecology and explores two subdomains of the lexicon in order to infer information about the extent and nature of multilingualism in the past. Methodology: The paper employs quantitative and qualitative analysis of a sociolinguistic questionnaire in the first part. The second part includes a qualitative analysis of lexemes in the domains of bird names and plant names, and then compares them with old ethnographic sources as well as recent information on the surrounding languages. Data: The data of this study come from original fieldwork by the author in the village of Rouku and surrounding villages collected between 2010 and 2016. It is supplemented by material from colleagues working on related languages (Evans, Kashima and Siegel). Findings: The method suggests that the type of multilingualism that was practiced in the past is similar to today. Originality: The study is novel in providing a description of multilingualism from the Southern New Guinea area. Moreover, it advances a lexicographic and ethnographic approach in reconstructing the past state of a language ecology. Implications: The main conclusion is that in the absence of written historical sources – a problem that one is almost always facing in New Guinea – it is possible to extrapolate from the lexicon of Komnzo to a past state of the local language ecology. Limitations: The method does not allow for dating the point in time for which the inferences can be made.