The History and Environmental Impacts of Hunting Deities: Supernatural Gamekeepers and Animal Masters (Conflict, Environment, and Social Complexity, 4)

This edited volume analyzes the belief in supernatural gamekeepers and/or animal masters of wildlife from a cross-cultural perspective. It documents the antiquity and widespread occurrence of the belief in supernatural gamekeepers at the global level. This interdisciplinary volume documents both the antiquity and the widespread geographical distribution of this belief along with surveying the various manifestations of this cosmology by way of studies from Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. Some chapters explore the manifestations of this belief as they appear in petroglyphs/pictographs and other forms of material culture. Others focus on the environmental impacts of these beliefs/rituals and prescribed foraging restrictions by analyzing how they affect game harvests. The internationally recognized scholars in this volume assess the efficacy of this particular form of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and investigate if adherence to the belief in animal masters actually causes hunters to refrain from overharvesting wild game and thereby contributes to sustainable hunting practices. This volume is of interest to anthropologists, archaeologists and other social scientists researching traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), indigenous conservation, biodiversity, and sustainability practices, and animal deities. Acknowledgements Contents List of Figures List of Tables Chapter 1: Introduction to Supernatural Gamekeepers Introduction Filling the Gap Ecological Impact of the Beliefs in Supernatural Gamekeepers Chapter Summaries References Chapter 2: The Antlered Mother: From the Paleolithic to the Modern Era Introduction Mythology Archaeological Data Discussion Conclusions References Chapter 3: Spirit Forces and Liminal Beings in North Asian Rock Art References Chapter 4: Humanoid Pillars and the Leopard ́s Paw: Thoughts on Animal Masters and Gamekeepers in the Ancient Near East Introduction Setting the Scene and Defining the Characters Ritual and Imagery in Context: Göbekli Tepe and Çatalhöyük Göbekli Tepe Çatalhöyük Summary Post-Neolithic Survivals of Gamekeepers and Animal Masters Conclusions References Chapter 5: Baghan Deo: An Indian Tiger God Introduction Belief in Baghan Deo/Baghaisur Baba The Gonds and Baghaisur Baba The Baigas and Baghasur Baba The Korkus and Bagh Deo/Baghan Deo The Kols and Baghaut Baba The Saoras and Kinnasum Tigers in Rock Art Discussion Conclusions References Chapter 6: A Spirit-Ruled Landscape: Ecology, Cosmology, and Change Among Katuic Upland Groups in the Central Annamites of Laos Background: The Sustainable Forestry for Rural Development (SUFORD) Project High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs) Katuic Spirit Forests Two Case Studies Loy Village: Mapping Exercises Loy Village Spirit Areas The Pa ́ehh Spirit Area The Terrååm Hill The Sirens of Korraam Dreen Hill Tang Plang Village The Strangler Fig Forest Tåång Hill and Its ``Nurse ́ ́ Spirits Concluding Remarks References Chapter 7: Shamans, Spiritualists, Shapeshifters, Healers, and Diviners Among the Hunting and Gathering Societies of Africa Introduction African Hunter-Gatherers African Ritual Specialists as Healers and Medical Practitioners African Ritual Specialists and Supernatural Gamekeepers Conclusions References Chapter 8: Holy Enforcers: St. Cuthbert and St. Hubert as Modern Icons of Conservation Introduction Thinking with the Animals Holy Enforcers Saints Revised and Renewed Revival of the Patron Discussion and Conclusion References Chapter 9: Iconic Resources, Prestige, and Conservation on Boigu Island of the Torres Strait, Australia A Mythical Past Maintaining Hunting Excellence Through Cultural Practices Hunting Rewards Response to the Growing Scarcity of Dugong in the 1980s Biologists ́ Assessments The Value of TEK and Community-Based Conservation Conclusion References Chapter 10: Shadow of the Whale: West Coast Rituals Associated with Luring Whales Introduction Arctic Whale Hunting Beliefs and Rituals Northwest Coast Whale Hunting Beliefs and Rituals Northwest Coast Practices Pertaining to Whale Strandings Northern California Beliefs and Practices Pertaining to Whale Beachings ``Shadow of the Whale: ́ ́ Rituals Practiced by the Chumash and Their Neighbors Further South Conclusion References Chapter 11: Supernatural Gamekeeper: Yahwe ́era, Sacred Narrative, and Rock Art, Tehachapi Mountains, California Introduction Great Basin Paiute and Shoshone Kawaiisu Animal Master: Lord of the Underworld Physical Description of Yahwe ́era Kahniina ́ Rock Art Site The Yahwe ́era Kahniina ́ Painting More on the Painted Panel Etymology of the Name, Yahwe ́era Analysis of the Yahwe ́era Narratives Yahwe ́era and Quail Summary and Conclusions References Chapter 12: Supernatural Gamekeepers of Eastern North America: Animal Masters, Guardian Animals, and Masters of Animals Renewing Animals and Humans Animal Masters, Guardian Animals, and Masters of Animals Animal Masters Guardian Animals Masters/Mistresses of Animals Materialization of Supernatural Gamekeepers Beaver Animal Masters Otter Guardian Spirits The Hero Twins as Masters of Animals Requickening, Ritual Practice, and Game Animal Renewal Overharvesting and Supernatural Gamekeepers Beaver Trapping White-Tailed Deer Hunting Animal Renewal and Game Harvesting Conclusion References Chapter 13: Supernatural Gamekeepers Among the Tsimane ́ of Bolivian Amazonia Introduction The Tsimane ́ Indigenous Peoples The Tsimane ́ Spiritual World Supernatural Gamekeepers in the Tsimane ́ Worldview Communicating with Supernatural Gamekeepers Building Respectful Relations with Supernatural Gamekeepers Changes in the Socio-Cosmology Around Supernatural Gamekeepers Discussion Conclusion References Chapter 14: Supernatural Gamekeepers/Animal Masters Among the Munduruku (Wuy Jugu), Tukano, Embera and Achuar (Shiwiar) of the... Introduction Traditional Ecological Knowledge Supernatural Gamekeepers/Animal Masters Munduruku of Brazil Tukano of Colombia Embera of Colombia Achuar (Shiwiar) of Ecuador Amasan and the Jurijuri Shamans and Local Game Shortages Discussion Source-Sink Conditions Overharvesting of Fauna by the Achuar Cannot Be Attributed to Loss of TEK Why Not Conserve? Western Contact, Population Growth and Changing Needs Conclusions References Sources Chapter 15: Andean Guardian Mountains and the Ethical Obligations Underlying Resource Management: Between Reciprocity and Pred... Andean Mountains as Masters of the Animals: Toward the Ethical Values Underlying Human-Mountain Relations A Bolivian Example of Human-Mountain Interrelations Lexical Clues to the Moral Imperatives Driven by Human-Mountain Interrelations: qama and qurpa Alimentary Exogamy in the Origins of These Ideas Closing Remarks on Bridging Reciprocity and Predation References Chapter 16: Supernatural Gamekeepers: Conclusions from an Archaeological Perspective The Archaeology of Gamekeepers The Origins of Supernatural Gamekeepers in Eurasia Seeing Gamekeepers in Ancient Art Conclusions References Chapter 17: Of Game Keepers, Opportunism, and Conservation Introduction What Gamekeepers Do Theoretical Perspectives Conditions for Conservation Dietary Game Taboos Conclusion References