Caring for standing crops in the Himalayas: embedded notion of saving to save
In the Himalayas, human beings have developed several behaviors and practices in the process of adaptation to the harsh environment. The theme of the paper is to explore the notion of care through the local practices of caring for standing crops. The paper is based on the more than nine-month-long e...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Society |
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| Online Access: | https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol29/iss4/art9 |
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| Summary: | In the Himalayas, human beings have developed several behaviors and practices in the process of adaptation to the harsh environment. The theme of the paper is to explore the notion of care through the local practices of caring for standing crops. The paper is based on the more than nine-month-long ethnographic study in the Nhāson Valley of Nepal. The findings reveal that caring for standing crops is not just rooted in technical rationality imposed by external agencies; it is cultivated in the concept of ethics of saving to save and respect for others’ property. The beliefs and practices of caring for standing crops reveal that the landscape is not only for humans and animals but also for divine beings, whose presence must be recognized and acknowledged when discussing human-nature relationships. The study challenges the reductionist approach of these relationships by focusing on how farmers’ workaday practices like fencing; implementing social regulations; and performing rituals bring science and society together. This integration creates a resilient and robust ecological framework for environmental study. |
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| ISSN: | 1708-3087 |