Roy Ellen - Recent Publishing

Recent Publishing

Roy Ellen focuses on the importance of indigenous ecological knowledge and practices and collaborations between local and outside knowledge effect and ultimately construct culture and how society functions. This paper will cover some of Roy Ellen’s more recent publishing (ranging from 1997–2006) in Seram, Eastern Indonesia and West Java.

Ellen’s article “Local and Scientific Understanding of Forest Diversity on Seram, Eastern Indonesia” published in 2006, is an excellent literary example of the importance and relevance local environmental knowledge has in scientific understanding. The article follows the process of how forest departments try to understand and label the forested territory surrounding the Nuaulu people in linear, homogenous terms. This proves to be problematic because of the extensive diversity and ‘patchiness’ of the forest. Through collaboration of folk and scientific classifications Ellen believes that a conclusion can be found, stating that, “Scientific and folk classifications have coevolved in recent global history, and the relationship between folk knowledge and instituted scientific knowledge can be modeled as two interacting and mutually reinforcing streams (Ellen 2006:64).” As seen through many of Ellen’s works, the detailed emphasis on the emic view, and the local knowledge are not only the most important but also give agency to the people utilizing that environment. In this case, the Nuaulu, in light of the failure of the forest department to “map” the forest were given recognition of their ecological knowledge and proved that top-down models are not always the most functional or correct.

Roy Ellen’s article “The Contribution of Paraserianthes (Albizia) falcataria to Sustainable Swidden Management Practices among the Baduy of West Java” published in 2000, the Baduy, which maintain their cultural identity through swidden agriculture, also understand in order to maintain their traditional way of life they must integrate cash crops to sustain themselves. This case is an example of how through a successful collaboration between local and outside parties can bring about solutions to sustainability problems. The reason this ‘hybridization’ was successful is because the Baduy ultimately decided for themselves that the Albizia was an acceptable addition to their traditional swidden farming. This integration was not forced upon or mandated by the government and the “local population could consider the advantages and disadvantages of the introduction and make the decision for themselves (Ellen 2000:14).”

Through these two published works of professor Roy Ellen, it is obvious that he covers a wide array of ecological topics as well as political topics in his publishings. He focuses on the indigenous people and their contributions, knowledge and transmission of culture. Like most anthropologists, Ellen is focused on giving locals agency and highlighting areas in which this is and is not occurring. Through his extensive field work in Seram and with the Nuaulu the local environmental knowledge of a culture cannot be denied and is highlighted in many of his works as paramount.