Traditional methods of sago palm management in the Purari Delta of Papua New Guinea
1991
Ulijaszek, S.J. (Cambridge Univ., Cambridge (United Kingdom). Dept. of Biological Anthropology)
The Baroi people of the Purari Delta of Papua New Guinea have traditionally cultivated sago palm (Metroxylon species) for dietary subsistence and for a limited amount of trade. They distinguish 12 varieties of the species which are, or have been, cultivated. In 1947, three Baroi villages moved site and merged to form the new village of Koravake. One consequence of this move was the establishmet of new sago gardens close to the new village. Investigations into sago palm management and starch yield of different cultivars were carried out in 1980. It was possible to distinguish one old garden (pre-1847) from gardens planted soon after resettlement, and those planted less than two years ago, and to compare the number and types of cultivars planted by three generations of Baroi. Planting density was highest in the oldest garden, lowest in the newest ones (65 palms/1000 m2 compared with 20 -22 palms/1000 m2). In the pre-1974 gardens, 12 cultivars were found growing, whilst in the post-1947 gardens, a maximum of six were seen. Gardens planted less than two years previously contained a maximum of three cultivars. The decline in the number of cultivars over successive generations is attributed to selection of varieties on the basis of starch yield, and on the physical effort needed to process a trunk of a particular cultivar
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