Ethnoecology of miriti (Mauritia flexuosa, L.f.) fruit extraction in the Brazilian Amazon: knowledge and practices of riverine peoples contribute to the biodiversity conservation

BACKGROUND: This article presents, from an ethnoecological perspective, the worldviews, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices of Amazonian riverine people involved in the extraction of miriti fruits (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.), in a context of increasing market demand for miriti fruits and of pressure for the intensification of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) production on the Sirituba island, in Abaetetuba, Brazil. METHODS: Methods used were participant observation and non-directive interviews with 22 extractive families of miriti from the Santa Maria and Costa Sirituba communities, on Sirituba Island, in Abaetetuba, Pará, Brazil. Non-structured interviews were used to analyze the knowledge about the species, history of miriti extraction, the traditions, and innovations related to this activity over time. Participant observation took place when riverine individuals were working with miriti fruits, in order to grasp the “codes” that permeate the human-nature relationships embedded in this production system. RESULTS: It was verified that the riverine peoples have a great knowledge about the palm tree, which is reflected in their own classification systems and management practices that allow the sustainable extraction of the fruits, avoiding, for example, cutting the miriti palms. In addition, a reciprocity relationship was observed between riverine peoples and miriti palm that are personified and preserved, contributing to the conservation of the species in the floodplain, even with the intensification of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) production. Another important aspect is the collective work involving all the members of the family, which allows the appropriation of the knowledge about the extraction of miriti by the young, allowing the resistance of the tradition that remains strong, contributing to the sustainability of the practice and conservation of biodiversity in the Amazonian floodplain. CONCLUSION: The k-c-p complex inherent to the riverine universe allows, even in face of the growing commercial demand for miriti fruits and the unchallenged increase in the extraction of this product, the conservation of floodplain biodiversity. Thus, we emphasize the importance of traditional knowledge and practices for biodiversity preservation, and they use them to guide public policies and natural resource management systems, aiming for sustainable ways to manage and use biodiversity.