Can we learn from indigenous people how to manage bushfires? Our
recent post
explores new research with seemingly opposing points of view.
Australian researchers posit that land management techniques focused on intentional setting of fires date back to ancient Aboriginal peoples about 50,000 years ago. In contrast, researchers in the United States argue that there is no evidence of this practice among pre-colonial Native Americans in New England, and that the practice came after European contact.
It is important to underscore that these studies are regional in focus, and therefore have limited scope for making any broad cross-cultural generalizations. Our two databases, eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology, are both ideal for further research on this subject. Together they cover a broad range of cross-cultural topics on contemporary as well as past societies.