Ancestral sayings and understandings and agriculture and livestock production

Sayings are popular expressions, which are transmitted through short phrases, knowledge, advice or teachings in a concise and colloquial way. These phrases are transmitted from generation to generation and can have different meanings, with which ideas are communicated effectively in daily situations (^{Reyes et al., 2009}). In the year 2001, UNESCO divulged that ancestral knowledge is high-value patrimony, since it contributes to all of humanity enriching their cultural heritage. In addition, it indicates that the transmission of this knowledge is necessary in rural communities, since it contributes with understandings related to the management of land, language, and the transmission of traditional activities from each locality (^{Calderón et al., 2021}).

The sayings in peasant and indigenous communities contribute in an active way to the development of some good farming practices, with good use of natural resources, since they consider nature as a sacred entity in their knowledge and traditions, in which they wish to live with balance, using all the elements in it in a sustainable and fair manner with humanity (^{Greenwood and Lindsay, 2019}).

^{Pacají et al. (2015)} state that the sayings and their ancestral knowledge transmitted contribute to the understanding of current agricultural problems and the negative effects that they generate in the environment, due to intensive production and which would only want to be based on economic growth, but not in the environmental or social aspect. It should be highlighted that farmers who transmitted these understandings based their forms of production in not applying chemicals, crop rotation, water harvest, conservation works in soils such as strips, among others, with which they could attain adequate production without generating great environmental impacts on the ecosystems (^{Michalopoulos et al., 2019}).

Study area

The study was conducted in the province of Loja (Figura 1), in a rural area of Taquil, Chantaco and Chuquiribamba, characterized by having fertile soils. The amplitude of the altitudinal interval ranges from 1,180 to 2,230 m above sea level. With cold climate, mean annual temperature of 15 °C, precipitation of 680 mm per year. Its economy is based on agriculture, with production of traditional crops such as corn and barley, and a large variety of vegetables; the production obtained is destined to be put on sale in many sectors of the provinces of Loja, El Oro and Guayas (^{Gobierno Autónomo Descentralizado de Chuquiribamba, 2011}).

Source: prepared by the authors.

Figure 1 Study area where information was gathered about the farm sayings: Loja, Ecuador. 

Sample size

A simple randomized sampling was conducted in the study zone, adjusted according to the availability of the people devoted to the agricultural activity. A total of 251 surveys were applied to the population from the rural area of the Loja canton, with an accuracy level of ± 7% and reliability of 95% (^{Israel, 1992}); based on the population devoted to agriculture and livestock production in the province of Loja, the population occupied in agriculture is 137,848 (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos - INEC, 2014), because there are no data at the level of the study zone. The surveys were semi-structured. The following were inquired about: a) Gender, age (17 to 35 years, 36 to 55 years, 56 to 70 years, older than 70), education level (none, primary, secondary, higher), activity they are devoted to (agriculture and livestock production, others). b) The main sayings of the farming sector that they mention more frequently, for example: “When there is sun and drizzle at the same time, blight is approaching the plants”; “The Cordonazo winds (for sowing) come on October 4^th”; “You must water in the morning or at night, since the strong sun burns the plants”. In the livestock sphere, for example: “When the guinea pigs whistle, it is because their females are birthing”; “When the guinea pigs make clicking sounds, it is because someone is coming”; “When the frogs sing at night, it will rain”. Other sayings related to the farming sector, for example: “When the candle makes a sound, visitors arrive”; “When you can hear the creaking of the cicadas, summer continues or Easter Week has arrived”; “When the crickets sing, the rains are coming”. c) Lastly, they were asked where they acquired the knowledge, and if it was inherited or acquired.

The results were recorded and organized in an Excel matrix, to later be analyzed with a squared-Chi test (p<0.05), with the aim of understanding if there were statistically significant differences in knowledge of the sayings, by age, gender and education level. For the analyses, the statistical software SPSS version 24.0 was used. The results were analyzed, considering various demographic variables, such as gender, age, and education level. This approach allowed a more detailed evaluation.

Sayings from the agricultural sector

When it comes to sayings, analyzing one of the most mentioned, “when there is sun and drizzle at the same time, lancha is approaching the plants”, refers to the fact that when these two weather events happen (sun and rain), the lancha fungus (blight) affects the crops, since this environment creates the conditions of moisture favorable for this disease to develop; therefore, the producers must try to irrigate their plants by spraying, to avoid plants from developing blight, because they eliminate part of the fungus that way. In this sense, ^{Fry (2008)} mentions that lancha is produced by the Phytophthora infestans fungus, known as the “destroyer of plants” and appears when there are abrupt temperature changes, since that is when it liberates sporangia into the atmosphere for its dispersion. The propagation is very fast, even with brief drizzle or water spatter, and can completely contaminate a crop in a short period of time.

Another saying mentioned by the survey respondents was “rain water is the best for plants”; the interviewees claim that the crop is irrigated evenly, that no plant is left without watering, that it is very beneficial for the yield of their crops, and that their growth is the best because the water is of better quality. In relation to this, ^{Alnaim et al. (2022)} indicated that rain water is natural and contains nutrients that are beneficial for the growth of plants, which can contribute to a higher yield of the crops.

The saying, “from a good seed, you get a good harvest”, is used by farmers to select the seed. For example, they choose the cobs with the largest grain size, the most volume and the heaviest, and when they separate the seeds from the cobs, they take those from the central part and not the corn grains from the seat (near the peduncle) or from the tips (near the feminine inflorescences), because they consider them of bad productive quality. In this sense, Dorial (2010) indicated that, genetic improvements began with scientific advancement, for which the seeds chosen for this type of trials are the ones that present the best characteristics, and with them, they begin the crosses to attain a higher quality and then trade these certified seeds which will result in higher production and be more resistant to pests and diseases.

The sayings that refer to the moon were: “the full moon is better for sowing and harvesting”, and “the harvest will grow better if it is grown with a waxing moon”, indicating that in the stage of the full moon, they try to harvest their leaf products; and that stems can be used, such as turnips, asparagus, chard, leaf onions, celery, etc. This allows them for their harvests to be abundant compared to the harvest in other moon phases. This agrees with what was reported by ^{Tercero y Portillo (2012)}: during the full moon, the intensity of photosynthesis is superior in all plants; in addition, the sap in plants accumulates in the stems and leaves, reason why the vegetables are larger and heavier.

Concerning the harvest, ^{Vásquez et al. (2014)} state that for the immediate consumption, the most adequate lunar phase is the new moon, because it is in this period when the fruits reach their maximum degree of juiciness. In contrast, when the purpose of the harvest is to obtain seeds, the optimal lunar phase corresponds to the full moon.

^{Bonelo (2012)} indicated that in this full moon phase, it is not recommended to sow, since “the plant flowers without fructification, and with a weak stem, which produces breakage”. In addition, the authors also mention that in the new moon or tender moon phase, the luminosity decreases and produces less development in the vegetation. In this phase, the plant’s sap is concentrated in the roots and there is a great availability of water in the soil, which supports sowing and germination of seeds. In another context, wood cutting is carried out during this lunar phase to obtain reproductive stakes, which effectively prevents the loss of moisture and, therefore, the subsequent formation of mildew (^{Mariaca, 2003}).

Sayings from the livestock production sector

Among the sayings most often mentioned in the livestock production sphere, there is “when guinea pigs whistle, it is because their females are birthing”. The people from the localities of study also mention the saying, “when the guinea pigs make a clicking noise, it is because someone is arriving”, and it should be mentioned that the production of guinea pigs is high in the study zone, since their tradition and gastronomy is largely based on the production of these animals (^{Montalván and Cabrero, 2019}).

Regarding this, ^{Verduzco et al. (2012)} mention that guinea pigs are very sociable animals and need to be, at the least, in couples, and they make sounds to exteriorize their emotions, whether in adverse or favorable conditions. For example, when they are hungry or when they need attention, or when they are exploring their surroundings. They make the purring sound when they are petted, to express joy; a low purring with much vibration is made by the male to court the female, when they are happy or when they are uncomfortable, and it is a manifestation prior to an upset; when they click their teeth and run away, it is because they are angry.

Another of the relevant sayings is, “San Francis of Assisi, patron of veterinarians”, by which the inhabitants indicate he is a very miraculous saint and when the animals become sick, they resort to the saint with their prayers and their animals heal. This is when it is small species, but if they are costly animals (larger species), then they not only need the prayer from the owner, but also the prayer of more people from the community, so they pay for the celebration of a mass devoted to their saint and ensure that the animal heals.

Comparing what is described in the results, Martínez et al. (2012) mentioned that farmers see Saint Francis of Assisi as a protecting figure, which brings them strength to overcome the problems and challenges of their work. To ask for help to improve their harvests and deal with problems such as drought and pests, they perform religious rituals such as offerings, prayers and processions. Saint Francis was a profoundly pious figure, with a genuine worry for the environment and wild life. His mission constituted in disseminating awareness through his sermons and concrete actions. Through initiatives such as reforestation, environmental education, climate activism and the protection of species in danger of extinction in the world, the message from Saint Francis and his celebration of land, continue to be valid currently.

The saying of “when frogs sing during the night, it will rain” indicates that frogs are animals that predict rainfall, which agrees with what was mentioned by Martínez et al. (2012), who highlight the sound of green frogs (Dendropsophus molitor) and argue that they attract rainfall with their song, in addition to feeding on small insects, which contributes to maintaining the crops free of pests. These frogs are always near the puddles or in livestock water troughs, and when the summer is prolonged and a long time has passed without rain, they sing as if they are asking for water, and this is how we know that it will rain. Something similar happens with the frog species Rhinella horribilis, which helps to take care of water.

The expression “during the tender moon, animals are castrated” is a broadly recognized proverb and cited by survey respondents. According to ^{Mariaca (2003)}, the waning quarter of the moon stands out as a highly favorable phase for a variety of activities in the rural sphere. In the castration process of pigs, lambs and dogs, a significant reduction in bleeding has been observed as well as faster scar formation.

Various sayings

Fire has several meanings and is used in purification rituals (^{Prieto, 2011}). In the place of study, many sayings were mentioned; one of the most often mentioned was “when the candle makes a sound, visits arrive”; this sound is similar to pyrotechnics. Related to fire, they also manifested that they must throw ash on the flame or fire, for the visitor not to come empty-handed. For example, in the province of Badajoz (Spain), the local associations are the ones in charge of organizing cultural acts with fire; lamps are lit in the streets, and some believe they represent evil spirits, who end up being ephemeral in the fire (^{Prieto, 2011}); this is how fire has an important role in culture and tradition, both in religious and in non-religious acts.

About the saying “when the crickets sing, the rains are near”, survey respondents say that their sounds bring joy to those who hear them, and that the months that are primarily for rain are January, March, May, June, July and August. However, that not only crickets are indicators that it will rain, but also the swallows. According to Aller (2007), crickets are an accurate thermometer, and this author indicated that if they sing faster, it is warmer, and when the sound is slower, it is cold.

In the place of study, another saying is “when you hear the squeak of the cicadas, summer continues or it is because Easter has arrived”; the inhabitants indicate that the sound of the cicadas is more intense in the months of April and October, which are summer months and with less intensity in February, September, November and December (^{Pérez-Garrido, 2015}). The sound of these insects is a key indicator of the season of the year in this region and it is part of a strong connection between culture and nature. People have learned to interpret these signals and to use them to guide themselves and to plan activities, showing a strong connection between them and the traditions and ecosystem.

When it comes to knowledge in general of survey respondents, it can be appreciated that there is an increasing loss of understandings, cultural expressions, customs (Ruiz et al., 2015; ^{Martínez-López et al., 2019}). Likewise, some traditions such as the celebration of maize worship with the “Inti-Raymi” festivity, is also considered cultural erosion in the population, acculturation and loss of identity of the people in the community (^{Pinto and Abad, 2017}). Ecuador is one of the countries that give much value to these traditions, because they are a historical part in the collective memory (^{Larriva de los Reyes, 2022}). The adult population has been admired for its wisdom and the contribution of advice, thanks to the experience they have attained throughout their life, as in the case of the study zones and other zones, where their understandings have been transmitted from generation to generation (^{Cruz Hernández et al., 2020}). It should be highlighted that young people play an important role in the present, and they are the strategic stakeholders in the strengthening of ancestral knowledge (Coronel, 2015); if they do not learn and transmit this knowledge to other generations, it will be lost with the passing of years, leaving behind valuable understandings that have contributed, for years, to agriculture and livestock production and society in general.

The female gender also has an important role in the transmission of these understandings, since historically women are the ones in charge of performing work in the gardens or in small agroproductive spaces; and at the same time, they are usually the ones in charge of guiding their children in their education, whether formal or informal. However, it should be said that women are not paid and are excluded from participating in certain benefits within their family nucleus (^{Logiovine and Bianqui, 2020}); therefore, the adequate value should be given to women, so they continue contributing with their accurate transmission of knowledge. Within the study area, the survey respondents have rescued several ancestral traditions, among which the care for the family unit stands out; women have managed to conserve beliefs and practices, in order to conserve the intercultural identity and diversity of Ecuador’s people (^{Zurita et al., 2017}).

An odd saying is “when women are pregnant, snakes don’t bite them”; the people from the community believe that snakes do not bite pregnant women, and they mention that if a pregnant woman approaches a snake, it dozes off or twists. However, if the woman is scared by the snake, there will surely be a miscarriage. In addition, if a snake appears in the path frequently traveled by a woman and it does not scare or kill her, the snake will continue to be in that place and it is recommended to change the route. ^{Koszla-Szymanska (2010)} describes that snakes are seen as treasure guardians, but there is no scientific evidence that supports this or what is mentioned by inhabitants of the study zone.