Grandmas Knew Best!: Sacred Ecology as a ‘Living’ Vehicle for Science Communication

Since childhood, I have seen my grandmother and mother worship the tulsi plant every day. I have observed people tying sacred threads around trees and chanting prayers of protection and prosperity. India has associated sacrality with natural systems through various rituals and norms, which have been an integral part of our culture and consciousness across generations. How about using its stories and experiences as a strategy for science communication, one that weaves together scientific accuracy and traditions? 

The article, Science communication through the lens of sacred ecology: Some reflections from India published in Cultures of Science, encourages rethinking science communication involving certain domains, especially in countries like India, where learning is not limited to textbooks. Instead, it lives in daily practices and rituals.

Imagine trying to discuss environmental conservation with the public using graphs and statistics versus narratives about sacred groves, rivers, and animals. There is a possibility that the former approach would feel more distant and fragmented compared to the latter. Various elements of nature are revered in India because they are believed to be associated with deities. Many of them turn out to be biodiversity hotspots, preserved across hundreds of years due to such shared beliefs. Such incidents suggest that science and its communication can become inclusive by being woven into culture.

The article highlights something important: Communities actually hold extensive knowledge through generations of lived experiences that could be leveraged by researchers. This aspect goes beyond the general assumption of science and its communication being a unidirectional flow of information, from experts to the public. For example, the ancient practice of using the ‘divine’ neem in households has informed contemporary research on its antimicrobial and pesticidal properties. Such observations emphasise that for centuries, sacred ecology has provided diverse ways for people to engage with nature and science that feel more personal and relatable.

Ultimately, effective science communication is about connection. When science is framed through familiar cultural contexts, it becomes more meaningful to people, and sacred ecology is a way to achieve this objective. However, it is critical to have a balance between scientific reliability and traditional worldviews to preserve and propagate the right goals of both science communication and sacred ecology. 

This concept aligns with the Government of India’s National Biodiversity Action Plan (2019), which discusses sacred landscapes and groves, with a Vision 2050 involving conservation, restoration, and maintenance of ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet. Further, it is also in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 (“Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems …”), which acknowledges the importance of forests and mountains to indigenous people and local communities.