Mapping from spatial meaning: bridging Hñahñu (Otomi) ecological knowledge and geo-information tools

Area of Science:

• Ethnobotany
• Agricultural Science
• Cultural Geography

Background:

• Hñahñu (Otomi) farmers in Mexico's Mezquital Valley utilize a unique farmland system adapted to arid conditions and low soil fertility.
• This system integrates traditional ecological knowledge and learning for food production in challenging environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate Hñahñu concepts and categories related to their farming landscape.
• To understand the ecological underpinnings, management implications, and organizational structure of their agricultural system.

Main Methods:

• Workshops and open interviews with local experts to record native terms and landscape links.
• Field trips to document soil and water management practices for sustained yields.
• Participatory mapping to analyze semantic relationships between terms and spatial distribution in the landscape.

Main Results:

• Elicited 7 Hñahñu terms for landforms, 4 for land use, and 17 for components, organized hierarchically.
• Identified key terms like 'mothe' linked to topographic position and water access.
• Stone barriers and earth channels are crucial for soil and water retention; 'mothe muiñhe' spatially correlates with gullies.

Conclusions:

• The study reveals a complex Hñahñu knowledge system crucial for effective landscape management.
• Hñahñu terms and their meanings are vital for understanding farmers' conceptualization of their landscape and its cultural significance.
• Scale and perception significantly influence the taxonomic organization, semantic structure, and spatial relationships within their knowledge system.