SYMP 2-5
Effects of Mesopotamian marsh (Iraq) desiccation on cultural knowledge and livelihood of marsh Arab women
The Mesopotamian marshlands were once the largest wetlands in the Middle East and in Western Eurasia. Its people lived in harmony with their environment for millennia, developing way of life that tied them intimately to their environment – fishing, raising water buffaloes and building distinctive reed huts. In the 1990s, the marshes were drained, resulting in ecocide. After the fall of the Baathist regime they were partially reflooded, however only a few thousand people remain in the marshes today, struggling to survive on vast tracts of desertified marshland. Traditionally, women took an active role both inside and outside the home, working in the fields, producing handicrafts, and selling their produce in the market. In order to understand the impact of the desiccation on women, we asked: How has the desiccation of the marshes impacted women’s interaction with the environment? What are the ways in which women previously benefited from the ecosystem services provided by the marshes, but are no longer able to do so? To answer these questions we conducted semi-structured interviews of Marsh Arab women, examining their use of the environment pre- and post-desiccation. We interviewed women from varying age groups and social strata throughout the southern marshes.
Results/Conclusions
Our preliminary research reveals that the desiccation of the marshes caused a drastic change in women’s interaction with their environment; principally their roles are increasingly limited to domestic activities rather than marsh-dependent activities. With the exception of raising water buffalo and limited horticulture activities, today most families have little opportunity to utilize their womenfolk’s ability to generate income. Furthermore, because women no longer use these skills, their daughters are not learning the skills necessary to live off the marsh ecosystem, and this valuable cultural knowledge is being lost. In conclusion, retaining cultural knowledge is as significant as ecosystem restoration in order to preserve indigenous management models and cultural heritage, and to enable Marsh Arabs to make a living off their land once again. We recommend that the Iraqi government, NGOs, and local communities implement programs to preserve these ancient skills and cultural heritage. Otherwise, with the passing of the older generation, these remnants of ancient Sumerian strategies and traditional way of life will soon be forgotten.