Qualitative Ethnobotany of Hermitism Karen in Ban Le Tong Ku, Unique Cultural Karen Community in Thailand
Keywords:
qualitative ethnobotany, Pwo Karen, Sgaw KarenAbstract
Ban Le Tong Ku is a Karen community comprising Pwo and Sgaw subgroups, each with its own distinct culture and traditions. Both subgroups adhere to the hermitism of the Talaku sect, a belief system that sets them apart from other Karen communities in Thailand. This raises the intriguing question of whether their ethnobotanical knowledge aligns with that of other Karen groups in Thailand. Qualitative ethnobotanical surveys involving six key informants revealed a total of 218 plant species used by the community: 145 by Pwo and 142 by Sgaw. The Fabaceae family stood out with the highest number of species utilized by both groups. Herbs and trees were the most commonly used plant types, with leaves being a predominant choice for both subgroups. Approximately two-thirds of the species served as food or traditional medicine, often prepared fresh or boiled. While Pwo and Sgaw shared knowledge on traditional plant use for 69 species, it is noteworthy that this knowledge was not exchanged between the two subgroups. For instance, Phytocrene macrophylla var. macrophylla was exclusively used for medicinal purposes by Pwo, whereas Saraca thailandica was solely utilized as food by Sgaw. Furthermore, this study represents the first documentation of ethnobotanical uses of Phytocrene macrophylla var. macrophylla, Impatiens purpureoscorpioides, and Grewia multiflora among the Karen community in Thailand.
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