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” |