Skip to main content

Table 2 Common themes extracted from interviewees’ answers, number of respondents, values attributed to each theme, and illustrated examples

From: Trade of marine turtles along the Southwestern Coast of the Gulf of Venezuela

Theme (No. of respondents)

Value type

Illustrated example

Marine turtles are key animals for Wayuú people (n = 35)

Utilitarian

“I raised my family thanks to the marine turtles”

“if you put a turtle skull in a corral gate, the goats will have more offspring”

“if turtles are around in the water the fish catching will be great”

“My grandmother used the carapace as a container for food or clothes”

Wayuú fisher’s economy is based in marine turtles (n = 32)

Economic

“…nowadays my grandsons are attending the primary school because I sell turtle meat to buy their books, uniforms, and everything”

“Alijünas in Colombia pay really well the turtle products”

“We know that is considered illegal, but we need to use the turtles to buy goods”

Marine turtles are used as exchange trade products (n = 21)

Livelihood

“I prepare turtle oil for my brother, and he gives me goat’s meat”

“In my family, we eat turtle at least once a month. If we do not eat it, we will feel bad”

“During my childhood, my father had a corral for hens, and one corral for turtles”

Marine turtles are divine creatures (n = 20)

Mythical

“Marine turtles are gift from Maleiwa, but the Alijünas do not understand that”

“in the ancient cemeteries, I found mixed human and marine turtle bones”

Medicinal/Mythical

“Marine turtles saved my life”

Marine turtles are the cultural core of Wayuú fishers (n = 12)

Cultural/Mythical

“My boy turned into a man when he sacrificed his first turtle”

“After the first period, the girls take a shower with ‘moon water’, and its container is a turtle carapace”