Consumptive and Non-Consumptive Uses of Water Beetles (Aquatic coleopterans) in Sub-Saharan Traditional Rituals
Abstract
:Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Data Sources
- List of traditional rituals performed with water beetle;
- Information related to how the beetles are captured;
- Where the rituals are performed;
- How the beetles are used in the fulfilment of the rituals;
- What happens to the beetles after they are used.
2.2. Ethical Considerations and Clearance
2.3. Predetermined Classification Criteria for the Uses of Water Beetles in Traditional SSA Rituals
2.3.1. Symbolic and Metaphoric Use
2.3.2. Use of Water Beetles as Biological Indicators of Water Quality (Involving No Contact between Humans and the Beetles)
2.3.3. Uses of Water Beetles Involving Contact (Non-Lethal) Catch–Use–Release (Alive)
2.3.4. Lethal Interaction (Catch–Prepare–Ingest)
3. Results
3.1. Summary of Responses Gathered from FDGs Regarding Traditional Ceremonies Involving Water Beetles
- In certain regions of Malawi, it is believed that if a whirligig beetle (Gyrinidae) bites you, you will learn to swim and levitate like it. But for this to occur, a whirligig must be placed on the hand. Then, the whirligig will bite its handler. After being bitten by the insect, the handler returns it to the water.
- In certain regions of Zimbabwe, girls go swimming with the intention of capturing whirligig beetles and placing them on their nipples so that the insect will bite their breasts in the belief that the bite will cause their breasts to grow larger. The girls would release the beetle back into the water after being bitten. The breasts expand, and the girls believe that the whirligig’s supernatural powers are responsible for their enlargement.
- People who cannot whistle use the whirligig beetle to improve their whistling abilities. They secure one of the numerous beetles in the river and place it on their tongue. They believe that after being bitten, they will be able to whistle. The handler returns the insect to the water after sustaining a bite from the beetle.
3.2. Traditional Uses of Water Beetles Gathered from the Literature
4. Discussion
4.1. Metaphoric or Symbolic Uses of Water Beetles
4.2. Biological Indicators of Water Quality
4.3. Catch–Use–Release
4.4. Uses of Water Beetles Resulting in Mortality
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Use of the Beetle | Taxa: Specificity | Implications for Demographics |
---|---|---|
Breast growth stimulant | Gyrinidae | Non-lethal use: catch, use, and release (after the ritual, the beetle is released) |
Use of the beetle for unlocking oral whistling | Gyrinidae | Non-lethal use: catch, hold, and allow the beetle to bite the tip of the tongue and release (released alive). |
Use of the beetle in learning how to swim or to improve swimming abilities | Gyrinidae and water beetles (non-specific) | Non-lethal use: catch, hold, and allow the beetle to bite the target body part. |
Use of the Beetle | Taxa: Specificity | Where Ritual Is Performed | Implications for Demographics | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sorcery (symbol of curse) | Gyrinidae | Tanzania | Use in metaphors | [24] |
Proverb: teaching people to be responsible for their wellbeing | Dytiscidae | Madagascar | Use in metaphors | [18,39] |
Fish presence indicator (when there are water beetles, it is a sign that there will be fish | Dytiscidae | Tanzania and Burundi | Non-lethal use: intangible use. The presence/absence of the beetle is used as a biological indicator of the presence of fish | [18] |
Indicator of water of good quality, clear water | Dytiscidae | Tanzania (Chaga) | Non-lethal use, intangible use | [18] |
Breast growth stimulant | Water Beetles (non-specific), Gyrinidae and Dystiscidae | Uganda, Kenya, Congo, Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe | Non-lethal use: catch, use, and release (after the ritual, the beetle is released) | [18,24,40] |
Use of the beetle for unlocking oral whistling | Gyrinidae | Zimbabwe | Non-lethal use: catch, hold, and allow the beetle to bite the tip of the tongue and release (released alive) | [24,41] |
Use of the beetle in learning how to swim | Water beetles (non-specific) | Zambia and Madagascar | Non-lethal use: catch, hold, and allow the beetle to bite the target body part | [18,24] |
Treatment of gynecomastia | Gyrinidae and Dytiscidae | Tanzania | Non-lethal use: catch, hold, and allow the beetle to bite the target body part and release | [24] |
Treatment of traditional circumcision wounds | Gryrinidae | South Africa | Non-lethal use: catch, hold, and allow the beetle to bite the target body part (released alive) | [40] |
Used for the treatment of dizziness | Water beetles (non-specific) | Tanzania | Non-lethal use: catch, use, and release (alive) | [24] |
Water purification | Dytiscidae | Tanzania | Non-lethal use: involves catch, use, and release | [18] |
Prevention of cough | Dytiscidae | Madagascar | Lethal use: catch, cook and eat the beetle | [18] |
Improvements in swimming abilities | Water beetles (non-specific) | Zimbabwe | Lethal use: catch and eat the beetle | [18] |
Eaten as a source of food | Gyrinidae and Dytiscidae | Central African Republic, Benin, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Congo, Madagascar, and Togo | Lethal use: caught, prepared, and eaten | [18,25,26] |
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Mnisi, L.N.; Zondi, N.; Pikirayi, I. Consumptive and Non-Consumptive Uses of Water Beetles (Aquatic coleopterans) in Sub-Saharan Traditional Rituals. Insects 2023, 14, 795. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14100795
Mnisi LN, Zondi N, Pikirayi I. Consumptive and Non-Consumptive Uses of Water Beetles (Aquatic coleopterans) in Sub-Saharan Traditional Rituals. Insects. 2023; 14(10):795. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14100795
Chicago/Turabian StyleMnisi, Lucky Nhlanhla, Nompumelelo Zondi, and Innocent Pikirayi. 2023. "Consumptive and Non-Consumptive Uses of Water Beetles (Aquatic coleopterans) in Sub-Saharan Traditional Rituals" Insects 14, no. 10: 795. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14100795