Table 3 Aspects of the process of interchange of the wild and weedy plant resources and wild mushrooms interchanged in the traditional Phurépecha markets of the region of the Pátzcuaro Lake
Aspects | Barter Market | Phurépecha Tiánguis | Municipal Market |
|---|---|---|---|
Interchange space | Construction based on social relations, offering of products and the custom of interchanging | Construction based on social relations enhancing a space of coexistence, offering products and maintaining the custom of barter | The infrastructure is permanent, people make use of available spaces for developing traditional interchange |
Form of exhibiting products | On the floor, on clothes and plastic pieces, baskets, buckets, wooden or plastic boxes, bunched or in plastic bags, separated from cultivated or manufactured products | ||
Participants | Peasants, gatherers, artisans, fishermen, and women | ||
From 29 Phurépecha and Mestizo communities | From 5 Phurépecha and Mestizo communities | From 17 Phurépecha and Mestizo communities | |
Interchange type | Barter and trade | Barter | Trade |
Interchange strategy | Complementing the weekly availability of edible resources for households. Wholesale buying for re-selling in other markets. Moving among markets. Selling to re-sellers | Complementing the weekly availability of edible resources for households. Itinerant interchange. | Wholesale buying for re-selling in other markets. Selling to re-sellers. Buying products to producers and gatherers. |
Households members participating in interchange | Mainly women older than 40 years | ||
Wild and weedy resources interchanged, types of use and management | 37 plant species and 15 edible mushroom species; 30 species used as food, 13 medicinal and 9 ceremonial. | 15 plant species and 3 edible mushroom species; 11 species used as food, 5 medicinal and 1 ceremonial. | 26 plant species and 12 edible mushroom species; 23 species used as food, 9 medicinal and 6 ceremonial. |
Management through gathering strategies, tolerance and enhancing | |||
Seasonal availability | Throughout the whole year. The highest number of wild and weedy species from June to October. On average, 12 species of wild and weedy resources interchanged per month | Throughout the whole year. On average, 6 species of wild and weedy resources interchanged per month. | |
Spatial availability | Distributed in forests, agricultural and ruderal areas, riparian vegetation, homegardens | ||
From 29 communities of the Pátzcuaro Lake shoreline and the Phurépecha Plateau. | From 5 communities of the Pátzcuaro Lake shoreline. | From 17 communities of the Pátzcuaro Lake shoreline | |