The Wisdom of the Mountains: Traditional Knowledge for Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction
Piyoosh Rautela *
Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Meenakshi Bist
School of Management, IMS Unison University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
Deepshikha Rawat Bhatt
Advisory Support Group, Chief Minister’s Office, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
Kumar Raushan
Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society, Hyderabad, Telangana, India and National Law University, New Delhi & Centre for Environmental Law, WWF India, New Delhi, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Mountain communities worldwide have developed unique and effective strategies for managing resources and mitigating risks associated with their challenging environments. This paper explores these traditional practices, focusing on the Uttarakhand Himalaya while drawing parallels with other mountainous regions globally. Based on long interaction with the masses and understanding of their traditions, this paper examines the manner in which communities have ensured water security, mitigated landslides, built earthquake-resistant structures, and maintained food security through innovative practices. These time-tested strategies, deeply intertwined with local ecosystems and cultural traditions, remain highly relevant even today. However, globalization and modernization are leading to their gradual erosion. This paper argues for the critical need to integrate this invaluable traditional knowledge with modern scientific approaches to develop holistic, cost-effective, and socially acceptable solutions for resource management and disaster risk reduction in mountain environments. This integrated approach, recognizing the wisdom embedded in the "little tradition" of mountain communities, promises to enhance the resilience and well-being of these societies in a changing world.
Keywords: Traditional knowledge, resource management, disaster risk reduction, mountain communities, sustainable development, resilience, Uttarakhand Himalaya