The thesis is organised as follows. Chapter one reviews the relevant theoretical literature in anthropology, using this as the basis for introducing the four major research questions that form the basis of the thesis overall: Is the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem function of importance to the people of the South Rupununi? Does the Wapishana subsistence system exhibit features which can be considered habitat/resource management? Does the existing social-ecological system have properties which could promote its stability in the face of anticipated changes in the circumstances in which it operates? Does the nature of ethnoecological knowledge provide the basis for its integration with scientific approaches in ecology? Following this is further introductory material: an introduction to the Wapishana people, a summary of the research methods employed, and an overview of the thesis.
Chapters two and three are also mainly based upon literature research, and address the situation of indigenous peoples in relation to the current pace and nature of economic development in the interior of Guyana. Chapter two takes a national perspective, and considers the various factors that bear upon decision-making concerning land use at the national level and the effects upon indigenous communities of their relationship with the national economy. Chapter three continues this theme, but narrows the focus to that of the region and tribal group that are the major subjects of this thesis. It is thus focused upon development interest in the South Rupununi region of Guyana, the effects this has upon the Wapishana people that are its majority inhabitants, and local attitudes and responses to this situation.
The next five chapters report, analyse and evaluate the field data. The subject of chapter four is Wapishana cultural ecology: the various methods by which people in the host village make a living from the forest and the ecological implications of these activities. Chapter five examines the regulation of human use of natural resources by means of symbolically encoded restrictions on consumption and usage, placing this in the context of a general account of Wapishana symbolism. These two thus provide the cultural context for the subject matter of chapters six to eight, which are concerned with the main body of field data, that on Wapishana ethnoecology. Chapter six reports the results of a course of interviews with Wapishana hunters on the ecology of animal species found in forest. Chapter seven compares this data systematically with data from the published ecological literature in order to assess its strengths and limitations. Chapter eight considers a variety of practical applications of ethnoecological knowledge and the associated body of practical skills relating to the usage of wild resources.
The final two chapters re-assess the themes of this opening chapter in the light of the research findings. Chapter nine reviews the research questions introduced in the first chapter, each of which is basically answered with a qualified ‘yes’. In conclusion, in chapter ten it is argued that ethnoecology is an approach that can contribute to both biological and cultural conservation, but that this is dependent on the circumstances in which it is employed. Suggestions are made as to how this might be achieved in practice.
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