Does anyone know of or can anyone point me in the directions of articles pertaining to chameons (any) and native peoples and their beliefs, interactions and taboos that they may have around the chameleons? Preferably scholarly articles. And anything to do with collection of chameleons for the pet trade. Or is anyone here living in an area where chameleons are native and want to do an interview (over the internet) for a college paper for me? I am doing a paper on how the international reptile trade is affecting local cultures. Thanks for any help!
Chameleons and natives
- Thread starter melgrj7
- Start date
Kent67
Retired Moderator
Here's a start: http://www.academia.edu/900159/The_ecology_and_exploitation_of_chameleons_in_Madagascar
Also, the book Masters of Disguise by James Murphy has some discussion of the fadys (taboos) relating to chameleons in Madagascar.
Also, the book Masters of Disguise by James Murphy has some discussion of the fadys (taboos) relating to chameleons in Madagascar.
junglefries
Avid Member
fire
In some cultures throwing a live chameleon into a fire, is supposed to bring good luck. I ask that you not try it.
In some cultures throwing a live chameleon into a fire, is supposed to bring good luck. I ask that you not try it.
SaintJimmy
Avid Member
I would suggest the same.. Please do not try and get good luck, you are more likely to meet the leprechaun than get good luck from a dead cham
I really do like the article about the chams in madagascar.
Just writing about things here, not trying them lol. I would never do anything to hurt Ivan (my flap neck)! My thesis is that indigenous cultures normally either have taboos surrounding certain reptiles, or have customs surrounding them (such as in brazil using the golden tegu for medicinal healing), but because they can collect them and sell them (and the animals are then sold into the pet trade) the international pet trade is in fact affecting the native cultures (they violate the taboos by collecting them, or sell them instead of using them in traditional healing). It needs to be refined . . . I'm still working on that, its undergrad so it doesn't have to be great lol. Anyway I wanted to include chameleons in there because well, I like them and I know many are imported wild caught every year.
kplatvoet
Member
When I was 9 to 14 I lived in Ethiopia and had a local chameleon that one of the missionary kids brought back with him from where ever his parents were stationed - this was in the early 70's (my father worked for USAID) I had him for about 3 years- I don't remember any tales about them but I had heard they would kill any animal that tried to eat them - and asked about it here on the forum and was told that in Ethiopia they used to think they were bad luck - but that in other cultures they are good luck- I used to get some pretty strange looks from some - mostly in places outside the capitol where I lived - I'd be very interested now - I hope you'll share your findings
I just googled Ethiopian Chameleon tales and came up with a wikapedia entry - had nothing to do with Ethiopia - and isn't very scholary either -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu_mythology
this one is even worse
http://www.ethiopianfolktales.com/en/snnpr/omo-zone/263-lightning-and-thunder
I just googled Ethiopian Chameleon tales and came up with a wikapedia entry - had nothing to do with Ethiopia - and isn't very scholary either -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu_mythology
this one is even worse
http://www.ethiopianfolktales.com/en/snnpr/omo-zone/263-lightning-and-thunder
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