Traditional Way Of Life Research Articles

Oral Histories of Social, Cultural, and Environmental Changes in Saudi Arabia Before and After Saudi Aramco

Saudi Aramco’s influence upon the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia cannot be overstated. After the discovery of oil in 1938, a nationwide metamorphosis began to infiltrate desert communities, sleepy fishing villages, and traditional urban centres ultimately influencing the people and their environments in unimaginable ways. Becoming one of the world’s largest oil producers has meant the loss and/or transformation of traditional ways of life. Shepherds, pearl divers, fishermen, and farmers are today’s business owners, executives, and international leaders. How could the development of a single company influence a country and its populace so dramatically? Besides the financial gains, how were individuals, families, and ecosystems affected? What were some of the personal challenges experienced by Saudi citizens? In this paper, the authors address these questions and others using local Saudi knowledge. In total, 20 female university students who participated in an oral history project interviewed their family members to learn how Saudi Aramco affected them personally, their traditions, landscapes, and society more generally. Excerpts from the interviews are highlighted to expose the nuances experienced by the various research participants.

Climate change and environmental degradation in Yanomami People’s Land: Intersectional threats and the need for improved policy-making

The Yanomami are an Amazonian Indigenous people in northern Brazil and southern Venezuela. The Yanomami are considered a ‘recent contact Indigenous People’, with the first contacts with non-indigenous recorded between 1910 and 1940 and with some groups in voluntary isolation. They are one of the resilient peoples that practise their traditional way of life, which involves a strong connection to the land and the environment. Following an expert-driven literature review based on a set of available documentation on the Brazilian Indigenous Peoples, focusing on the overlapping threats that affect Indigenous Lands and triangulating the information collected with data produced on Brazilian Amazon Rainforest Monitoring Program by Satellite (PRODES) within the Space Research National Institute (INPE), this communication presents a case analysis of the main pressures and threats Yanomami People faces. The overlapped threats manifest in structural and cyclical issues, linked to the environmental crisis arising from extractives’ illegal activities, such as logging, and mining invasions, the recurrent attacks, mercury contamination of the river water, malnutrition caused by contaminated fish, scarcity of hunting, and violence committed against the people, especially women and children. Added to these multiple social, political, and environmental threats are the impacts of climate change, which disproportionately affect forest peoples. Deforestation, fires, drought, and other extreme events that are linked to climate change effects are analysed, leading to reflections on Brazilian government policies' influence and on the urgency to implement policies in defence of Indigenous Lands, the Amazon Forest, and its guardians.

Of Rare and Obsolete Words

Abstract Older residents of the Modern Western Aramaic-speaking village of Maaloula are keenly aware of the progressive impoverishment of their lexicon as the younger generations come to maturity without direct knowledge of traditional ways of life and material culture. In this short Modern Western Aramaic text, two such residents discuss both the localities in which these ways of life unfolded and the words associated with them, which have become rare and even obsolete among contemporary speakers. The text is furnished with interlinear morphosyntactic glosses, a short lexicon of terms that do not appear in the standard dictionary of Modern Western Aramaic (NWAW), a translation into the local vernacular Arabic, and images illustrating the words and the locations that the speakers discuss.

IMPLICATIONS AND GEOTECHNOLOGICAL PROPOSITIONS FOR THE YANOMAMI INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DUE TO ILLEGAL EXPLORATION OF GOLD MININGS

The 1988 Federal Constitution recognizes the territorial and cultural rights of the Yanomami indigenous peoples, guaranteeing the demarcation of their lands and respect for their traditional ways of life. But these rights have been violated due to frequent threats to these people, by large economic interests, such as mining and deforestation. To achieve this article, it was necessary to consult specific studies of the Yanomami, collection of primary data. Georeferencing of areas that presented land use systems and natural resources was also carried out, the data was processed to generate thematic maps using the Arcgis 10.5 and Qgis 3.28.14 based on images from LANDSAT satellites. The results indicate that the impacts of illegal gold mining in Yanomami lands are devastating, exploration areas are increasing annually, mercury, used in the gold extraction process, leads to contamination of water courses, compromising sources of drinking water and the water resources necessary for survival. It is concluded that it is essential to implement more rigorous public policies, in addition to strengthening supervision and the application of strong environmental laws to combat illegal mining and with global awareness of the importance of protecting indigenous territories, as well as promoting economic alternatives. sustainable activities that respect the traditional way of life of the Yanomami and preserve the environment.

Экологические проблемы Арктической зоны России на примере Ямало-Ненецкого автономного округа

The authors analyze the ecological state of three environments (media) of the Russian Arctic zone on the example of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area: soil, water and atmosphere. The the Autonomous Area economy is based on the oil and gas production, which has an increasing negative impact on the region ecology. Environmental pollution due to accidents and fires on oil pipelines, the formation of unauthorized landfills near settlements, contamination of rivers and reservoirs, air pollution, year–round navigation in the Gulf of Ob contribute to the overall change in the region microclimate, which leads to degradation of pastures, changes in deer migration routes and disruption of the traditional way of life of the indigenous population — Nenets-reindeer herders. In order to restore pastures and preserve the traditional way of life of reindeer herders, the authors propose building roads and railways on stilts or isolating reindeer herds from transport infrastructure with the help of eco-bridges so that it does not become an obstacle to seasonal migration of reindeer along traditional routes.

National Food Policies and Food Security in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands

Food insecurity remains a persistent challenge in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) due to a combination of frequent climate shocks such as droughts, floods and livestock diseases. These extremes disrupt traditional ways of life and devastate crops and livestock, leaving communities with little to no food. This paper examined the effect of national food policies and strategies on food security in these fragile regions, specifically focusing on initiatives designed to address the recurring problem. The arguments of the decentralization and institutional capacity theories were used to guide the analysis. Methodologically, the study employed a descriptive survey research design to inform data collection and analysis. The research established that despite government interventions, food insecurity remains prevalent in ASAL regions. The causes of this insecurity are multifaceted, encompassing factors such as climate variability, restricted access to resources and socio-economic disparities. The paper recommends a review of national food policies targeting ASALs to align them with the drivers of food insecurity. The review should include community engagement and stakeholder collaboration to attain effective and sustainable solutions.

Climate change and Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in North America: modelling possible changes in range with different climate scenarios and interspecific interactions

One of the greatest challenges for researchers today is understanding climate-change impacts on fish populations, particularly in vulnerable and understudied ecosystems such as the Canadian Arctic. Among other impacts, northern fishes will undergo thermal stress as atmospheric and sea surface temperatures are projected to rise globally. Models that consider how both environmental factors such as temperature and potential species interactions will impact population extirpation and species’ range contraction can help project the future distribution of a species in the face of a warming climate. Here, we investigate the climate-change impacts of rising temperatures and the potential northward distributional shift of brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) on Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus), Canada’s northernmost freshwater fish species. Specifically, we used a logistic regression model to establish baseline relationships between the current distribution of Arctic charr and the variables, degree-days (a key climate variable), geographical location, and brook charr occurrence. We developed the model applying the expected changes in degree-days to 2050 (25–50% increase from the average of 1976–2005) and 2080 (50–100% increase) while incorporating the historical distribution of Arctic charr to estimate the change in Arctic charr distribution over that time. We found that growing degree-days, longitude, latitude, and brook charr occurrences correctly classified 93% of Arctic charr historical occurrences in Canada. We estimate that in a high-carbon scenario, where degree-days are expected to increase by 50 to 100%, Arctic charr range is projected to decrease by 18% in Canada by 2051–2080 and decrease even further by 3% with the presence of brook charr. The Canadian high Arctic may provide refuge for Arctic charr, likely maintaining temperatures optimal for species persistence. Regardless, management that considers the climate stresses on Arctic charr populations will be important to preserve this highly valued resource that is pivotal for food security and traditional ways of life for northerners.

The attitude of the Tatars of the Kirov region (Russia) to religious rites

In modern Russia, much attention is paid to the preservation of cultural traditions of different peoples and faiths, but at the same time many aspects remain undisclosed in research. A rich material for study exists in the multiethnic and multicultural Kirov region. Tatars occupy the second largest population in the region and have their own rich cultural traditions based on Islam and influencing the culture of the region. The purpose of the research is to study the attitude of Tatars to religious rituals on the example of the Kirov region. To achieve this goal, ethnosociological expeditions were undertaken in 2018-2023 to the Malmyzhsky and Kilmezsky districts of the Kirov region as one of the most representative areas where the Tatar population lives. Within the framework of the expeditions, methods of included observation were used, as well as interviews in the form of interviews. As a result, the attitude of the Tatars towards such religious ceremonial as the obligatory observance of prayer, marriage (nikyah), the prohibition on eating pork, as well as the special position of women was revealed. As the study showed, Tatars in the Kirov region do not have a canonical manifestation of the foundations of Islam, but a folk faith characterized by a simplified perception of these foundations: not all Tatars observe the fivefold prayer, some of them also eat pork. It remains important for the Tatar population to observe the nikyah rite at marriage, but at the same time there is a relaxation in choosing a partner – he can be of any nationality, but must be a Muslim or convert to Islam. There are certain changes in the situation of women: there are no restrictions on their rights and freedoms, and not all Muslim women adhere to a strict and closed style of dress. In addition, the Tatars' desire to combine the traditional way of life with the modern dominant culture, as well as with other national cultures of the region ("neighborly mutual assistance", holding various festivals of traditional cultures, assimilation of Tatars) was revealed. It was concluded that the attitude towards traditional confessional rituals in the Tatar community is softened and does not imply strictness in observance. The results of the study are useful for building intercultural communications between various stakeholders (government, business, non-profit organizations).

Discovering Shandong Art and Culture China in the Dimension of Wisdom, Beliefs, Traditional Ways of Life and Festivals

With the country's continued emphasis on industry, culture and creativity industry, the cultural and creative industries on the university campus have demonstrated a strong drive of development. Shandong is a famous cultural city with a rich history with a rich material cultural heritage that is constantly inspiring for the cultural and creative industries on the university campus. This study starts from the cultural dimension of wisdom, faith, traditional way of life, and festivals and uses qualitative research methods. With a descriptive and analytical method, to explore the cultural and artistic information learning area of Shandong Province. Through comprehensive analysis and data collection, we skillfully integrate these cultural elements into the design of souvenir products, and contribute to the promotion of Shandong culture and the creation of unique cultural and creative products. The results showed that the study of information on Shandong arts and culture In the wisdom dimension The profound Confucian tradition of Shandong Province injected a unique humanistic spirit into its culture and art, which is not only reflected in the daily life philosophy of the Shandong people, but also the culture of Shandong people. In the belief dimension, Shandong province's religious and folk beliefs provide a wide area for art development, which not only strengthens the connotation of art, but also makes them more regional and cultural. In the lifestyle dimension Shandong province's unique living traditions and farming culture provide valuable materials for art development. By delving deeper into these elements, it is possible to design souvenirs with more regional characteristics and cultural values, and the traditional festival dimension. The Spring Festival and Zhoucun Xinzi Festival are not only the spiritual sustenance factor of Shandong people. Using these elements of festivals, art can be developed at a strong cultural atmosphere to meet people's pursuit of a better life. Based on the findings, it leads to strong support and guidance for the cultural and creative industry in Shandong Province, and helps promote the development of souvenir products in Shandong University.

Archaeology, ethnography, and geosciences reveal central role of traditional lifeways in shaping Madagascar's dry forests.

Many communities in southwestern Madagascar rely on a mix of foraging, fishing, farming, and herding, with cattle central to local cultures, rituals, and intergenerational wealth transfer. Today these livelihoods are critically threatened by the intensifying effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. Improved understanding of ancient community-environment dynamics can help identify pathways to livelihood sustainability. Multidisciplinary approaches have great potential to improve our understanding of human-environment interactions across spatio-temporal scales. We combine archaeological survey data, oral history interviews, and high-resolution multispectral PlanetScope imagery to explore 400years of human-environment interaction in the Namonte Basin. Our analysis reveals that settlement and land-use led to significant changes in the region's ecology, both during periods of occupation and after settlement abandonment. Human activity over this period may have stabilized vegetative systems, whereby seasonal changes in vegetative health were reduced compared to surrounding locations. These ecological legacies may have buffered communities against unpredictable climate challenges.

Commons are cared for: Coexistence between humans and wild birds on the island of Kihnu, Estonia

Abstract Local knowledge is an essential dimension of humanity's relationship with the environment. Investigating the interdependence between humans and wild birds holds value in fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with avian populations. Gathering bird eggs is a significant practice for Kihnu islanders in Estonia. There are very few studies of this age‐old, complex knowledge that assess the topic from the perspective of the local community. This paper investigates the reciprocity and the relationality between people and birds and the position of commons in the local community practice of bird semi‐domestication. Several methods (interviews, participant observation and literature study) were used in data collection. We obtained information on local knowledge concerning 58 bird taxa. Locals named at least 21 bird species from which they have collected eggs. While collecting eggs is a central activity, the relationship surrounding egg collection is far more intricate. Locals take care of nesting boxes in Common Merganser which birds reside, collecting only a few eggs from every box. These nesting boxes are also constructed for passerine birds. Furthermore, caring for birds influences the soundscape of Kihnu and significantly impacts the cultural bond between local communities and the birds. Kihnu islanders are mindful of the changes occurring in the bird population. The intimate relationship between local people and birds is challenged when traditional ways of life are restricted by stricter nature conservation norms (e.g. banning the collection of bird eggs and visiting islets). However, birdlife is very important in ensuring biocultural diversity. Therefore, this study proposes several important future perspectives in promoting the sustainable development of rural life: (1) the introduction of pluralistic nature protection, including the opinion of local communities in the management of natural resources; (2) the promotion of birds as a means of pest control; and (3) reinforcing the reciprocal coexistence of birds and humans on Kihnu. We advocate for community‐centred nature management which takes into consideration Local Ecological Knowledge and its attached expertise, shared responsibility and benefits, sustainable development trajectories and local community‐based governance systems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Традиционный образ жизни коренных малочисленных народов Севера: понятие и механизмы правовой защиты

The work is devoted to the definition of the concept and mechanisms of legal protection of the traditional way of life of the indigenous peoples of the North in international law and Russian legislation. The elements of the traditional way of life of indigenous peoples are considered, the ratio of traditional types of economic activity, everyday life and traditional nature management is established and the conceptual significance of the formation of effective mechanisms for its special legal protection.

Old Believers in Brazil: Preserving Linguistic Identity

This article presents a study of the history of Russian Old Believers’ emigration to Brazil. As such, it analyses the reasons that allowed them to maintain their linguistic identity, and identifies the features of the dialect of the Russian language of the Old Believers living in Latin America and in Brazil in particular. Old Believers moved to Brazil after centuries of oppression, first leaving Central Russia for the East of the country, Siberia and Primorye, and then, after the 1917 Revolution, many of them moved to Harbin (China). After the 1949 Revolution in China, they turned to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who sent them to the United States, Canada, Australia and Brazil. Brazil was the first country to grant them visas. The main wave of migration of Old Believers to Brazil took place in 1957–1958, that is, after the policy of nationalization of the New State carried out in 1937–1945 by President Getúlio Vargas, whose goal was to turn all immigrants into Brazilian citizens by banning their native language in both official and everyday communication. Thus, the Old Believers managed to fully preserve their religious, cultural and linguistic identity due to the hermetic nature of their communities and the preservation of their traditional way of life. The dialect of the Old Believers of Brazil retains the typical features of the Nizhny Novgorod dialect of the nineteenth century, in which archaic linguistic features and semantic shifts in the meaning of words were preserved. However, it also contains lexical innovations denoting new concepts of modern life, Spanish and Portuguese borrowings and their adaptation. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, several Old Believer families decided to return to Russia under the State Programme to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement to Russia of Compatriots Living Abroad. Specifically, they returned to Primorye, thus completing their round-the-world trip.

The dichotomy between Society and Nature in the Ebro reservoir: Preserving a traditional way of life or prioritising national benefit

The dichotomy between Society and Nature in the Ebro reservoir: Preserving a traditional way of life or prioritising national benefit

The Habit Does Make the Monk: Jesuit Dress in the Marianas Mission 1668–1700

Abstract This article explores some of the body modifications that occurred in the Mariana Islands during the initial decades of the Jesuit mission. It focuses on Jesuit vestments and the use of Indigenous CHamoru palm-weaving in a cultural background where the CHamoru dress code clashed with Jesuit mindsets. The article also analyzes the imposition of clothing on the CHamorus by the Jesuits and the imposition of nakedness on the Jesuits by the CHamorus as punitive measures within a colonial environment where the Jesuits sought to dismantle traditional lifeways while the CHamorus endeavored to preserve them.

Rematriation and climate justice: Intersections of indigenous health and place

Indigenous peoples shoulder a disproportionate burden of risk posed by climate change and associated environmental shifts. Simultaneously, Indigenous communities are recognized as arbiters of planetary health and climate resilience due to their interdependence with local ecosystems, traditional lifeways and Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge(s) (ITEKs) that inform adaptation and mitigation programming. Accordingly, Indigenous Peoples protect and steward 80% of the global biodiversity, while only inhabiting 22% of the earth's surface, and comprising only 5% of the earth's global population [1]. Yet, climate resilience often disregards opportunities for Indigenous communities to explore reparative frameworks that seek to heal the social and ecological determinants responsible for climate-related vulnerabilities associated with histories of colonial subjugation. This manuscript offers critical insights and Indigenous perspectives on climate justice, while redressing the intersection of place-based determinants of Indigenous health, sovereignty and self-determination, with ancestral land-based practices of birthing justice and rematriation of Indigenous territories. As Indigenous communities grapple with land dispossession and confinement - rematriation, ancestral remembrance and reciprocity offer novel insights on the critical relationship to territorial homelands and the sanctity of place to Indigenous health. In closing, the authors explore opportunities for decolonizing relationships to place from climate justice perspectives, while discussing a case of rematriation and healing at Bdóte, the place of genesis for Dakota Peoples, also known as Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN.

ЭВФЕМИЗМЫ СО ЗНАЧЕНИЯМИ ‘УМИРАТЬ’ И ‘УБИВАТЬ’ В ТЕКСТАХ ХАКАССКИХ ГЕРОИЧЕСКИХ ЭПОСОВ «АЛТЫН-АРЫГ» И «АЙ-ХУУЧИН»

The heroic epics of the Turkic peoples in Siberia are the brightest achievement of their authentic culture. Due to the processes of urbanization, the diverging from the traditional way of life that are actively taking place in the Republic of Khakassia today, the mass bilingualism among the native speakers of the Khakas language, the switch to Russian by the Khakas younger generation, the loss of traditions in intergenerational transmission of folklore works, especially heroic epic, it is very important to study the linguistic features of Khakas folklore. The purpose of the article is to describe the features of semantic models of verbal euphemisms with meanings ‘to die’ and ‘to kill’, presented in Khakas heroic epics Altyn-Aryg and Ai-Khuuchin. Nominative units with similar meanings have not been previously studied in Khakas language and folklore studies. To achieve this goal, the method of contextual analysis, component analysis, and word formation analysis were used. Phrases with euphemistic verbal nominations, included in thematic group ‘death’ were identified with the help of the method of contextual analysis. Using the method of component analysis, the presence of seme ‘death as cessation of vital activity’ was confirmed in the verb semes. By word-formation analysis, models of the formation of euphemisms with meanings ‘to die’ (8 models) and ‘to kill’ (5 models) were established. The notion “to die” is conveyed by euphemisms formed according to such semantic models as “to lie down > to die”; “to fall down > to die”; “to cross > to die”; “to pass over > to die”; “to break off > to die”; “to transform > to die”; “to part > to die”; “to break (about a saddle pommel) > to die”. The notion “to kill” in the analyzed texts is conveyed through euphemisms formed using semantic models “to make somebody lie down > to kill”, “to make somebody cross > to kill”, “to drop > to kill”, “to tear > to kill”, “to eat > to kill”. Most of euphemisms are formed by metaphorical transfer; one semantic model is based on metonymic transfer (“to break (about a saddle pommel) > to die”). The analyzed units reflect archaism of the ideas reflected in them about death as a transition to the world of the dead, as the result of the interruption of a thread–like substance – a soul ‘tyn’, as the transformation of the external appearance (khubul- literary ‘to change', ‘to transform'), as the parting with the light world ‘akh charykh’

Языковые единицы со значением меры пространства, веса и стоимости как фрагмент языковой картины мира крымских татар

The aim of the research is to identify linguistic units expressing one of the fundamental philosophical concepts, i.e., the category of measure, in the linguistic worldview of the Crimean Tatars. The authors have examined units of measurement in historical and contemporary, official and folk metrology presented in the Crimean Tatar language with various genetic types: original, common Turkic, and borrowed vocabulary. Similar and distinctive features of synchronic and diachronic linguistic units have been identified. The work is novel in that it is the first to explore metrological vocabulary in the Crimean Tatar language as a universal linguistic phenomenon with a dual nature: linguistic and cultural. As a result, the researchers have analyzed metrological units found in various Crimean Tatar documentary sources and identified their ratio and genetic affiliations. It has been determined that etymologically, metrological terms can be traced back to common Turkic, Indo-European, and Arabic roots. Borrowings from different periods are linked to the development of socio-economic relations and trade of the Crimean Tatars with neighboring peoples. In the analysis, special attention has been given to the linguistic units containing concepts significant for Crimean Tatar ethnic culture, reflecting the particularities of the people’s traditional way of life and their assessment of the surrounding reality.

O Desenvolvimento do Turismo Sustentável para a Promoção da Cultura na Área Local: Estudo de Caso Distrito de Nong Sung, Província de Mukdahan, Tailândia

Purpose: This research aimed 1) to explore the geographical and cultural aspects of the area; 2) to design and create a sustainable tourism model; and 3) to suggest a development model to generate income, increase well-being in the community, and transfer lessons learned to other areas. Method: This research employed realist ethnographic approach collecting data from observation and focus groups of District Chief, Deputy District Chief, senior villagers, and villagers. The researcher describes and interprets the shared and learned patterns of values, behavior, belief and language to create and design a sustainable tourism model to support Phu Thai cultural tourism. Result and Conclusion: The results showed that the Nong Sung district’s geography consists tiny valleys that surround in all four directions and has a creek through during the rainy season. The valleys have waterfalls flowing all year. Specifically, the ethnic identity of the Phu Thai people becomes the basis of cultural tourism management. As one of the Northeast's best traditional communities in terms of way of life, traditions, religious beliefs, and customs, this community has national recognition as a top tourist destination. Interestingly, the cultural town showed the unique nature of the area by significantly integrating government policies and traditional ways of life. Research Implications: Phu Thai community at Nong Sung is the key actor for this sustainable tourism model. Phu Thai culture, dress, food, lifestyle and language are the key elements for Phu Thai community sustainable and cultural tourism. The creation of signage and resources for tourist attractions should obviously be provided. Finally, the younger generation should inherit the valuable culture, especially the Phu Thai language and cultural traditions. Originality/Value: Phu Thai in Northeastern part of Thailand is sustainable traditional tourism community that delivers traditional way of life, religious beliefs and customs to promote local cultures, especially the Phu Thai language.

Generativity as a Traditional Way of Life: Successful aging among Unangan Elders in the Aleutian Pribilof Islands.

Predominantly Western-based biomedical models of successful aging have been used to research, understand, and explain successful aging among diverse populations. With an increasingly heterogeneous older adult population nationwide, scholars have been exploring Indigenous understandings of successful aging. To add to the accumulation of knowledge of diverse Alaska Native populations, this study involved semi-structured qualitative interviews with 20 Unangan Elders from the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands. This community-based participatory research study explores the aging experiences and conceptualization of successful aging of these Elders from this remote and culturally distinct region of Alaska. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes related to successful aging within this specific region, which supported our previous four themes, or characteristics, of Alaska Native successful aging: physical health, social support and emotional well-being, generativity as a traditional way of life, and community engagement and Inidgenous cultural generativity. Each of these themes or characteristics of Eldership is intertwined and together support successful aging within two remote communities in the Bering Sea. The findings of this study illuminate how Alaska Native Elders can live in geographically diverse regions of the State, yet the values and teachings they possess on successful aging possess the same cultural values and teachings. This study highlighted two new emerging constructs that influence Alaska Native Elders' successful aging based on geographical location. Findings contribute to the thematic saturation of the four main successful aging domains while outlining the importance of future research to conduct deeper investigations into the role of environment and history on Elders' perceptions and understanding of aging.