Bird Names and Folklore from the Emberá (Chocó) in Darién, Panamá

  • Stephanie C. Kane Indiana University
Keywords: Emberá (Chocó), Bird classification, Darién forest, Panama, Bird folklore

Abstract

This paper presents data on names and folklore of birds collected among native speakers of Emberá in the moist tropical forests of Darién, Panamá.  The naming data was collected by systematic elicitation of names from pictorial representations of birds.  It is organized here to facilitate analysis of various aspects of folk taxonomy in relation to scientific taxonomy.  Folklore about birds collected in natural contexts is also included to indicate the role of birds and their names in symbolic processes that exceed the limits of literal reference.

Author Biography

Stephanie C. Kane, Indiana University

Stephanie C. Kane is a cultural anthropologist and Professor in the Department of International Studies at Indiana University. She is the author of The Phantom Gringo Boat, AIDS Alibis, and Where Rivers Meet the Sea.

 

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Published
2015-06-15
How to Cite
Kane, S. C. (2015). Bird Names and Folklore from the Emberá (Chocó) in Darién, Panamá. Ethnobiology Letters, 6(1), 32-62. https://doi.org/10.14237/ebl.6.1.2015.226
Section
Data, Methods & Taxonomies