Beyond ethnobotany: Tracing back the ancient story of the Ngadha people through the utilisation of bamboo

Abstract

Background: Traditional ethnobotanical studies have primarily focused on documenting plant species and their uses, often glorifying them as expressions of local wisdom. This paper advances a broader analytical perspective by integrating anthropological and sociological approaches to explore realities beyond ethnobotanical knowledge. It traces the ancient story of the Ngadha people by investigating their use of bamboo and its origins.

Methods: This qualitative research employs multiple methods, including ethnographic techniques such as in-depth interviews and participatory observations, as well as ethnobotanical techniques using semi-structured interviews. Knowledgeable informants from the Ngadha people were selected using the snowball sampling technique.

Results: This study indicates that, although the Ngadha are migrants who believe bamboo predated their ancestors’ arrival, they possess a sophisticated body of knowledge concerning bamboo cultivation and utilisation. Bamboo has long served as a medium for survival, social cohesion, creative expression, and moral reflection. However, the penetration of modernisation has altered these relationships. Community preferences have shifted toward materials such as concrete, plastic, and metal. Consequently, traditional bamboo knowledge, along with the social and cultural values it sustained, has been diminished and replaced by growing individualism, monetisation, and reliance on industrial technologies.

Conclusions: Bamboo ethnobotany in Ngadha reveals the ancient narrative of the Ngadha People and their survival through bamboo-based traditional technology. However, their knowledge and practices related to bamboo are now threatened by the penetration of modernisation.

Keywords: Ethnobotany; Bamboo utilisation; Ngadha people; Ancient story; Cultural transformation