The concept of ethnoscience serves as a fundamental analytical framework in the article The Cultural Dimension of Environment: Ethnoscientific Study on Santhal Community in Eastern India by Koustab Majumdar and Dipankar Chatterjee. It illustrates a comprehensive understanding of how the Santhal community’s interaction with the natural environment is mediated by a culturally grounded system of knowledge.

Within the context of a specialised branch of anthropology, ethnoscience is principally focused on examining how diverse indigenous communities conceptualise, classify and transmit knowledge about the world around them. It critiques the dominance of Western scientific epistemology by asserting that these systems should not be regarded as primitive or unscientific. Instead, they constitute equally valid, rational and internally structured systems within their respective cultural contexts.

In the case of the Santhal community, the ethnoscientific approach reveals that their environmental observation is not based solely on empirical evidence. It is also deeply embedded in social practices, cultural significance and sacred beliefs.

The article persuasively illustrates that the environment is not merely a collection of external resources to be exploited or dominated. Rather, it is an integral part of a living and highly interconnected system in which humans, fauna, flora and supernatural elements coexist through interdependent relationships.

Land is not only an economic resource for agricultural development, but also a cultural and spiritual element associated with genealogy, identity and spiritual practices. Similarly, the forest is understood not merely as a source of food and resources, but as a sacred space imbued with spiritual forces. Human contact with these resources is regulated in ways that promote balanced ecological harmony.

Among the Santhals, environmental knowledge is closely connected with rituals, beliefs and spiritual practices, where sacred groves and seasonal festivals function as informal systems of ecological conservation. The article also highlights that urbanisation and modern education are gradually weakening indigenous traditions, environmental perspectives and cultural continuity.

Another significant feature of the ethnoscientific perspective presented in the article is the structured character of indigenous knowledge systems. The Santhals employ culturally specific classification frameworks to organise and understand environmental elements.

Unlike organised categories in contemporary scientific systems, this classificatory system is grounded in lived experiences, utility and symbolic significance. The environment is generally classified by the Santhal community into core components such as land, water, forest resources and animal life.A notable aspect is that each of these classifications is further interpreted through culturally meaningful subcategories. For instance, land is not simply viewed as a means of food production. It is embedded with deep cultural and emotional value and is frequently connected to identity, lineage and ritual traditions.



The article proposes that the Santhal community’s ethnoscientific knowledge is structurally systematic and rooted in empirical observation and practical experience. It enables a long-term understanding of ecological processes such as seasonal variation, soil fertility, rainfall patterns and plant growth strategies, reflecting a sophisticated understanding of environmental interdependence.

This knowledge has developed over generations through gradual interaction with the natural environment and is transmitted orally through rituals, fairy tales, stories and daily practices.

For example, the Santhals possess a holistic knowledge of medicinal plants and their applications, demonstrating a detailed understanding of biodiversity and natural resources. This ethnoscientific framework provides the authors with the ability to demonstrate that such knowledge systems are neither unstructured nor disorganised. Instead, they are characterised by coherence, adaptability and functionality.

In addition to its practical dimensions, ethnoscience also draws attention to the spiritual and identity-related aspects of environmental knowledge among the Santhals. Their worship of natural and supernatural spirits establishes a particular relationship between humans and environmental elements.

Many of these forms of worship are framed within festivals, rituals and cultural practices that are mutually interconnected with ecological cycles such as harvesting, planting and the transition of seasons.

Sacred groves and preserved forest areas are often regarded as sacred and spiritually associated spaces. Such practices demonstrate how cultural beliefs function as informal regulatory mechanisms that control ecological resources and maintain environmental balance.

By integrating spiritual values with practical knowledge, the Santhal community maintains a strong connection with its environment by prioritising sustainability and respect for natural systems.

The ethnoscientific approach presented in the article offers a rigorous understanding of how beliefs, knowledge and practices are interdependent within the cultural framework of the community. It provides a deeper perspective that moves beyond economic and material interpretations and includes supernatural beliefs.

The article also critically examines the impact of recent socio-economic changes on the ethnoscientific knowledge systems of the Santhal community. One of the principal limitations identified is the growing divergence between younger and older generations regarding environmental perceptions.

While older members of the community demonstrate a deep and holistic approach to the environment rooted in cultural and traditional practices, younger generations tend to adopt a more efficiency-oriented and resource-based perspective toward nature.

Formal education, urbanisation, economic assimilation and exposure to external cultural influences are substantially interconnected with this transition. These influences often prioritise modern scientific knowledge over traditional systems.

As a result, indigenous knowledge gradually faces deterioration, raising concerns about the loss of valuable cultural and ecological insights. The gradual erosion of indigenous knowledge affects environmental practices, cultural identity and the long-term continuity of communities

The article highlights the immediacy of concerning and preserving such knowledge systems from erosion, proposing that they frame an essential element of human heritage. However, the study contributes to the general discussion on environmental frameworks by promoting an interesting and multidimensional understanding of knowledge.

The article highlights the immediacy of concerning and preserving such knowledge systems from erosion, proposing that they frame an essential element of human heritage. However, the study contributes to the general discussion on environmental frameworks by promoting an interesting and multidimensional understanding of knowledge. In a nut shell, the concept of ethnoscience in the article provides a deep insightful analysis of the interrelation between culture and environment among the Santhal community. It frames that environmental knowledge is not universal or homogeneous, but rather shaped by broader cultural contexts, historical experiences and other social practices. The ethnoscientific approach concludes that the Santhal community provides deep insights not merely into the understanding of the Santhal community itself, but also valuable lessons for addressing global challenges, especially in the case of sustainability and cultural preservation..