Arquivo da tag: Conhecimentos indígenas

Glacier grafting: How an Indigenous art is countering water scarcity (Al Jazeera)

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Residents in high-altitude Himalayan region of Pakistan are creating artificial glaciers to tackle water shortages amid soaring temperatures.

Original article

Pakistan Glacier
Pakistan is home to an estimated 13,000 glaciers [Nurettin Boydak/Anadolu via Getty Images]

By Ijlal Haider and Faras Ghani

Published On 17 Feb 2026

Skardu, Pakistan – As Pakistan grapples with the effects of rising temperatures that are melting its glaciers, residents in the country’s high-altitude Himalayan region have adopted a traditional technique, known as glacier grafting, to counter water scarcity.

Pakistan, home to an estimated 13,000 glaciers, ranks among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable nations, even though it contributes less than one percent of global emissions.

As global warming worsens, the effect of more glaciers melting is “likely to be significant”, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said last year.

What is glacier grafting?

Glacier grafting, locally known as glacier marriage, is a technique that involves “planting” ice at carefully chosen high-altitude locations to create new artificial glaciers – a process that experts say dates back centuries.

The technique involves storing ice fetched from glaciers closer to human settlements amid periods of water scarcity.

According to Zakir Hussain Zakir, professor and researcher at the University of Baltistan in Skardu, the earliest recorded instance of glacier grafting goes back to the 14th century, when the Sufi saint Mir Syed Ali Hamadani grafted a glacier in the village of Giyari.

“That glacier blocked the route through which invaders from Yarkand came to loot the people,” Zakir, who has researched the practice in the Himalayan region, told Al Jazeera.

Over time, what began as a defensive act evolved into a method for managing water scarcity in one of the world’s most fragile mountain ecosystems.

People in the Ladakh region across the border on the Indian side also use traditional knowledge to preserve ice amid climate change and receding natural glaciers. A relatively newer technique has been developed in Ladakh to create an “ice stupa”, which is formed after spraying water in freezing temperatures. The conical shape ice structure remains frozen for a longer period as its surface is not fully exposed to the sun.

Interactive_Pakistan_vulnerable_glacier floods_August25_2025-03-1756384278

How is glacier grafting carried out?

So-called “male” and “female” ice is sourced from different locations and brought together to create an artificial glacier. Villagers where this technique has been implemented as well as experts told Al Jazeera that volunteers go out to collect around 200kg (441 pounds) of “male” ice from one valley and “female” ice from another. Male ice is typically black in colour, while female ice is usually lighter, providing more fertile water that enhances agricultural productivity, according to locals.

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In ancient times, due to the absence of available transportation as well as steep, narrow and slippery routes through the mountains, volunteers would travel on foot for several days, carrying the ice in traditional wooden cages on their backs.

The process requires specific materials: coal, grass, salt and water collected from seven different streams. Before setting out to the grafting site, the group would recite Quranic verses, perform spiritual rituals and pray for success.

The material, including both sets of ice blocks, would be carried to the site while “strictly following environmentally respectful and culturally sacred practices”, the locals said.

They would avoid the use of plastics, refrain from immoral actions and only consume locally produced foods such as wheat, barley, apricots and homemade bread during the process.

Humour, music, or harm to living creatures is strictly prohibited, as the procedure was viewed as both a spiritual and ecological responsibility.

At the grafting site, a small trench would be dug in a safe area, away from avalanche or flood-risk zones. The male and female ice pieces would be carefully layered together, mixed with salt, coal and grass.

“The male pieces are put on the right, while on the left, female ice pieces,” Zakir said.

skardu glacier pakistan
Pakistan is home to an estimated 13,000 glaciers [Faras Ghani/Al Jazeera]

Water collected from the seven streams would slowly be dripped over the ice to help bind the layers.

Over several months, the pieces fused into a single ice mass. If the site received seasonal snowfall, the mass would gradually develop into a glacier. After surviving for at least three years and enduring seasonal snow cycles, the artificially grafted glacier would expand. Over the next few years, it would become a reliable water source.

Zakir added that site selection is critical in the process: north-facing slopes, strong winds, less sun exposure and protection from direct flowing water are essential.

Rituals, discipline and collective labour

Locals and experts told Al Jazeera that the deep spiritual and cultural aspects surrounding this technique are what distinguish glacier grafting from purely technical interventions.

Ice pieces are never allowed to touch the ground and must remain in continuous motion from collection to planting.

“Often, vehicles that carry these ice pieces are never switched off,” Zakir recalled, adding that those helping out are forbidden from speaking, using plastic or relieving themselves near the site.

“If one volunteer feels tired, without lying down, he will pass the basket [carrying the ice] to another volunteer.”

Historically, glacier grafting has also concluded with local music known as Gang Lho that is sung directly to the ice. One such song, the professor recalled, addresses the glacier as a living being, calling it “my dear baby glacier” having “pastures to grow… mountains to climb”.

Often, volunteers and villagers would have tears in their eyes, praying for the glacier’s establishment and survival in order to aid their survival and livelihood.

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How long does glacier grafting take? Is it guaranteed to survive?

A successfully grafted glacier can start supplying water within two decades, making it a long-term investment in water security.

However, experts warn that the process is vulnerable – not only to a failure of the natural process, a lack of snowfall, drops in temperatures, and climate change, but also to conflict.

“In abnormal climatic conditions, such as during war, the process may fail,” Zakir warned.

“Both India and Pakistan have deployed military forces in the glaciers, and the bullets they use, as well as the movement of soldiers and equipment, are very harmful to glaciers.”

The South Asian neighbours have fought three wars over the disputed Kashmir region, which they both govern parts of.

Can glacier grafting solve water scarcity problems?

The mean temperature in Pakistan since the 1950s has risen by 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.34 degrees Fahrenheit), which is twice as fast as the global mean change, according to the World Bank.

With temperatures rising globally, glacier grafting may not be able to offer a wholesome solution to Pakistan’s melting glaciers problem. But it remains a powerful example of how Indigenous knowledge, culture and collective care have long shaped survival in the mountains.

Locals told Al Jazeera that glacier grafting is now more critical than ever to counter water scarcity and erratic snowfall that cause problems for irrigation, domestic consumption and livestock.

They also worry that the practice of glacier grafting is rapidly disappearing. Younger generations, drawn to urban centres and alternative livelihoods such as tourism, education and business, no longer engage in traditional irrigation.

This shift has disrupted the intergenerational transfer of Indigenous knowledge, they lamented.

This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center.

Gestora ambiental de Roraima recebe prêmio de ‘Cientista Indígena do Brasil’ por atuação sobre crise climática (G1)

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Sineia Bezerra do Vale, indígena do povo Wapichana, atua há ao menos três décadas com discussões sobre a emergência do clima e defende que cientistas incluam as experiências dos povos tradicionais nos estudos sobre o assunto.

Por Valéria Oliveira, g1 RR — Boa Vista

27/05/2024 06h01  Atualizado há 4 meses

Sineia Bezerra do Vale, lidernaça indígena do povo Wapichana, ao receber o prêmio "Cientista indígena do Brasil", em São Paulo — Foto: Patricia Zuppi/Rede RCA/Cristiane Júlião/Divulvação

Sineia Bezerra do Vale, lidernaça indígena do povo Wapichana, ao receber o prêmio “Cientista indígena do Brasil”, em São Paulo — Foto: Patricia Zuppi/Rede RCA/Cristiane Júlião/Divulvação

Referência em Roraima por estudos sobre a crise climática em comunidades indígenas, a gestora ambiental Sineia Bezerra do Vale agora também é “cientista indígena do Brasil” reconhecida pelo Planetary Guardians, iniciativa que discute a emergência do clima em todo o mundo e tem como foco restaurar a estabilidade da Terra.

Indígena do povo Wapichana, Sineia do Vale recebeu o título no último dia 25 em São Paulo, no mesmo evento em que o cientista brasileiro Carlos Nobre, referência global nos efeitos das mudanças climáticas na Amazônia, foi anunciado com novo membro dos Planetary Guardians – guardiões planetários, em português.

Sineia do Vale tem como principal atuação o foco sobre a crise do clima, que impacta em consequências devastadoras em todo o mundo. Foi dela o primeiro estudo ambiental sobre as transformações do clima ao longo dos anos na vida dos povos tradicionais em Roraima.

Ao receber o prêmio de “cientista indígena do Brasil” das mãos de Carlos Nobre, a defensora ambiental destacou que quando se trata da crise climática, a ciência também precisa levar em conta a experiência de vida que os indígenas vivenciam no dia a dia – discurso que ela sempre defende nos debates sobre o assunto.

“Esse é um momento muito importante para os povos indígenas. Neste momento em que a gente se coloca junto com a ciência que chamamos de ciência universal, a ciência indígena tem uma importância tanto quanto a que os cientistas traduzem para nós, principalmente na questão do clima”, disse Sineia do Vale.

Sineia do Vale (terceira mulher da direira para a esquerda) atua há anos com foco na crise climática e os povos indígenas — Foto: Patricia Zuppi/Rede RCA/Cristiane Júlião/Divulvação

Sineia do Vale (terceira mulher da direira para a esquerda) atua há anos com foco na crise climática e os povos indígenas — Foto: Patricia Zuppi/Rede RCA/Cristiane Júlião/Divulvação

O estudo inédito comandado por Sineia foi o “Amazad Pana’ Adinham: percepção das comunidades indígenas sobre as mudanças climáticas“, relacionado à região da Serra da Lua, em Roraima. A publicação é considerada referência mundial quando se trata da emergência climática e povos tradicionais.

No evento em São Paulo, ela exemplificou como a crise climática é percebida nas comunidades. “Os indígenas já colocaram em seus planos de enfrentamento às mudanças climáticas que as águas já aqueceram, que os peixes já sumiram e que não estamos mais vivendo o período de adaptação, mas o de crise climática.”

“Precisamos de resposta rápidas. Não podemos mais deixar que os países não cumpram seus acordos porque à medida que o globo terrestre vai aquecendo, os povos indígenas sofrem nas suas terras com grandes catástrofes ambientais”, destacou a gestora.

A indicação para que Sineia recebesse o título ocorreu após indicação da ativista ambiental e geógrafa Hindou Oumarou, que é co-presidente do Fórum Internacional de Povos Indígenas sobre Mudanças do Clima e presidente do Fórum Permanente da ONU sobre questões indígenas chadiana.

Além da roraimense, também receberam a honraria de “cientista indígena do Brasil”: as antropólogas indígenas Braulina Baniwa e Cristiane Julião, do povo Pankararu, confundadoras da Articulação Nacional das Mulheres Guerreiras da Ancestralidade (Anmiga), e o antropólogo e escritor Francisco Apurinã, que pesquisa mudanças ecológicas na perspectiva indígena pela Universidade de Helsinki, na Finlândia.

Mais sobre Sineia do Vale

Sineia do Vale participa desde 2011 da Conferência das Nações Unidas sobre as Mudanças Climáticas – COP, em inglês, e promove junto às lideranças indígenas a avaliação climática a partir do conhecimento ancestral.

Ela também participa ativamente das discussões internacionais sobre mudanças climáticas há mais de 20 anos, entre elas, a Conferência de Bonn sobre Mudanças Climáticas – chamada de SB60, que ocorre todos os anos em Bonn, na Alemanha. Este ano, a COP29 ocorrerá de 11 a 24 de novembro em Baku, capital do Azerbaijão.

Em 2021, Sineia foi a única brasileira a participar da Cúpula dos Líderes sobre o Clima, evento convocado pelo então presidente estadunidense Joe Biden e que marcou a volta dos EUA nas discussões internacionais sobre o clima.

No ano passado, ela foi recebeu o “Troféu Romy – Mulheres do Ano“, honraria concedida a mulheres que se destacaram em suas áreas de atuação em 2023.

Gestora ambiental de formação, Sineia cursa mestrado em Sustentabilidade junto a Povos e Territórios Tradicionais na Universidade de Brasília (UnB), coordena o Departamento de Gestão Territorial e Ambiental do Conselho Indígena de Roraima (CIR), e integra a Convenção-Quadro das Nações Unidas sobre a Mudança do Clima (UNFCCC), focada na agenda indígena e a implementação de ações em nível local.

The Quiet Threat To Science Posed By ‘Indigenous Knowledge’ (Forbes)

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James Broughel

Feb 29, 2024,07:06am EST

Portrait of Quechua man in traditinal hat.
The White House is working on incorporating “indigenous knowledge” into federal regulatory policy. GETTY

“Indigenous knowledge” is in the spotlight thanks to President Biden, who issued an executive order within days of taking office, aimed at ushering in a new era of tribal self-determination. It was a preview of things to come. His administration went on to host an annual White House summit on tribal nations, and convened an interagency working group that spent a year developing government-wide guidance on indigenous knowledge.

Released in late 2022, the 46-page guidance document defines indigenous knowledge as “a body of observations, oral and written knowledge, innovations, practices, and beliefs developed by Tribes and Indigenous Peoples through experience with the environment.” According to the guidance, indigenous knowledge “is applied to phenomena across biological, physical, social, cultural, and spiritual systems.”

Now the Biden Administration wants federal agencies to include these sorts of beliefs into their decision making. As a result, agencies like the EPA, FDA, and CDC are incorporating indigenous knowledge into their scientific integrity practices.

In some cases, tribal knowledge can certainly provide empirical data to decisionmakers. For example, if an agency is concerned about pollution in a certain area, tribal leaders might be able to provide insights about abnormally high rates of illness experienced within their community. That said, categorizing knowledge that includes folklore and traditions under the banner of enhancing “scientific integrity” poses a number of serious problems, to put it mildly.

Very often, indigenous knowledge deals in subjective understandings related to culture, stories, and values—not facts or empirically-derived cause-and-effect relationships. In such cases, the knowledge can still be useful, but it is not “science” per se, which is usually thought of as the study of observable phenomena in the physical and natural world.

Treating science and indigenous knowledge as equivalent risks blending oral traditions and spirituality with verifiable data and evidence. Scientists are aware of the danger, which explains why the authors of a recent article in Science Magazine wisely noted “we do not argue that Indigenous Knowledge should usurp the role of, or be called, science.” Instead, they argue, indigenous knowledge can complement scientific information.

Indeed, this knowledge should be collected alongside other input from stakeholders with an interest in the outcomes of federal policy. It shouldn’t be confused with science itself, however. Yet by baking indigenous insights into scientific integrity policies without clearly explaining how the knowledge is to be collected, verified, and used, federal agencies will make it easier to smuggle untested claims into the evidentiary records for rulemakings.

Another issue is that indigenous knowledge varies dramatically across the more than 500 federally-recognized tribes. There are likely to be instances where one group’s teachings may offer time-tested wisdom, while another’s proves unreliable when held up against observable facts. Indigenous knowledge can also point in opposite directions. Last year, the Biden administration invoked indigenous knowledge when it canceled seven oil and gas leases in Alaska, but indigenous groups are known to often support energy development as well.

Even the Biden team admits indigenous knowledge is “often unique and specific” to a single tribe or people. But the Biden team doesn’t offer a way to distinguish between competing or contradictory accounts.

While no one disputes the historical mistreatment of Native Americans, this is unrelated to the question of whether knowledge is accurate. Moreover, other forms of localized knowledge also deserve attention. In rural towns and municipalities, for example, long-time residents often develop their own bodies of knowledge concerning everything from flood patterns to forest fire risks. To be clear, this local knowledge is also not “science” in most cases. But, like indigenous knowledge, it can be critically important.

That agency scientific integrity initiatives would single out knowledge based on social categories like race and ethnicity is unscientific. The danger is that indigenous knowledge policies will enable subjective understandings to become baked into rulemakings alongside the latest in peer-reviewed research.

If federal agencies aim to incorporate subjective belief systems into rulemaking, they should take care to do so responsibly without allowing unverified claims to be smuggled into purportedly impartial regulatory analyses. In most instances, indigenous knowledge will fall outside the scope of what can rightfully be considered part of ensuring scientific integrity.

The path forward lies in incorporating indigenous insights into policy decisions at the stage where they rightfully belong: as part of holding meetings and gathering feedback from stakeholders. Very likely, indigenous and other forms of local knowledge will often turn out to be more important than science. But confusing politics and science risks undermining both.

[Note from RT: there are many problems in the line of reasoning presented in this piece; the one that is perhaps most important is that the author’s perception of what “Indigenous knowledge” is is based on the results of processes of decontextualization, fragmentation, and reconstruction of Indigenous ideas in instrumental ways, inside larger social and cultural frames that have no relation to the contexts in which these ideas circulate originally. Indigenous knowledge would not be so crucial today if it were compatible with non-Indigenous, modern/Western modes of thinking and social organization. In most cases, the complaint that Indigenous knowledge is difficult to accommodate comes from realms in which there is great confidence that business as usual will solve the current environmental situation.]