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Ethnomyology in Bolivia has received little attention throughout its history, this is reflected in the scarce and scattered information at present. This study focuses on understanding the perspective of a Quechua community regarding the K'allampa pine (S. luteus) and the management of the use, as a sample of popular mycological knowledge in the town of Alalay (Mizque, Cochabamba), where established a dialogue of knowledge between community members and academics. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 quechua men and women, using snowball sampling and participant observation techniques in order to approach the perception and uses of the K'allampa, collection practices, economic aspects and knowledge transmission, variables that were analyzed by contrasting categories. The collection and dehydration of the K'allampas takes place during the rainy season and represents recreational activities for the community, good food also incorporated into native dishes and a complementary economic activity of great importance for at least 80% of the community. While the transmission of popular knowledge recently acquired is horizontal and vertical. This meeting of dialogue of knowledge represents a successful and visible example in the community, since from the dialogue established improvements in the techniques of collection and dehydration, as well as the promotion of an autonomous local fair that promotes the consumption of the K'allampa of pine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several ethnobiology studies evaluate the cultural significance (CS) of plants and mushrooms. However, this is not the case for mammals. It is important to make studies of CS allowing the comparison of cultural groups because the value given to groups of organisms may be based on different criteria. Such information would be valuable for wildlife preservation plans. In this study, the most culturally significant species of mammals from the Lacandon Rainforest (Chiapas, Mexico) for people from two Mayan-Lacandon and mestizo communities were identified. The reasons behind the CS of the studied species were explored and the existence of differences among the cultural groups was evaluated. Methods: One hundred ninety-eight semi-structured and structured interviews were applied to compile socio-demographic information, qualitative data on CS categories, and free listings. Frequency of mention was a relative indicator to evaluate the CS of each species of mammal. Comparison of responses between communities was carried out through multivariate analyses. The non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare the number of mentioned species by Lacandons and mestizos as well as different responses in the qualitative categories. A χ2 test was used to compare frequency of categories. Results: 38 wild mammal species were identified. The classification and Principal Components Analyses show an apparent separation between Lacandon and mestizo sites based on the relative importance of species. All four communities mentioned the lowland paca the most, followed by peccary, white-tailed deer, armadillo, and jaguar. No significant difference was found in the number of mentioned species between the two groups. Eight CS categories were identified. The most important category was “harmful mammals”, which included 28 species. Other relevant categories were edible, medicinal, and appearing in narratives. Conclusions: The data obtained in this study demonstrates the existence of differential cultural patterns in the relationships that Lacandon and mestizo groups establish with mammals. Species are deemed important either because they are eaten of because of the harm they cause. We suggest the incorporation of local conceptions about wild animals in conservation frameworks for the fauna in the Lacandon Rainforest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mushrooms generate strong and contrasting feelings ranging from extreme aversion to intense liking. To categorize these attitudes, Wasson and Wasson coined the dichotomic terms "mycophilia" and "mycophobia" in 1957. In Mesoamerica these categories have been associated to ecological regions. Highland peoples are viewed as mycophiles, whereas lowland inhabitants are considered mycophobes. However, this division is based on little empirical evidence and few indicators. This study questioned whether mycophilia and mycophobia are indeed related to ecological regions through the evaluation of 19 indicators tested in the highlands and lowlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Methods: The heterogeneity of attitudes toward mushrooms was explored in terms of ecological region and sociocultural variables. Information was obtained through structured interviews in 10 communities in Los Altos de Chiapas (highlands) and the Selva Lacandona (lowlands). We analyzed indicators separately through χ2 tests and multivariate techniques. The Mycophilia-Mycophobia Index was also used in the analysis. To assess which factors better explain the distribution of attitudes, we built 11 models using the Beta probability-density function and compared them with the Akaike Information Criterion. Results: Most people had positive attitudes in both ecological regions. The classification and ordination analyses found two large groups comprising both highland and lowland towns. Contrary to expectation if mycophilia and mycophobia were mutually exclusive, all the fitted probability distributions were bell-shaped; indicating these attitudes behave as a continuous variable. The model best supported by data included occupation and ethnicity. Indigenous peasants had the highest degree of mycophilia. Discussion: Results suggest the studied populations tend to be mycophilic and that their attitudes are not dichotomic, but rather a gradient. Most people occupied intermediate degrees of mycophilia. Despite the remarkable similarity in the degree of mycophilia between ecological regions, the Principle-Coordinates Analysis shows differences in the specific way in which people from either region establishes a cultural relationship with mushrooms. The comparison of models suggests that sociocultural variables explains the differences better than ecological regions do. The obtained results are evidence of mycophilia among lowlands inhabitants in the Mayan region and of the fact that the mycophilia-mycophobia phenomenon is not expressed as a bimodal frequency distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se presenta información acerca de la importancia cultural de los hongos para los lacondones, una civilización indígena de México.

El artículo discurre sobre las emociones opuestas de aprecio o aversión en cuanto a los hongos, con un enfoque en su importancia cultural para los grupos indígenas de México.