Functions of Ethnobotany in Iranian Nomadic Society: Boyer Ahmad Nomads/ Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province

Nomads’ indigenous knowledge consists of a bright and accurate observations on herbs, plants, animals, weather, soil, pests as well as the classification systems that is compatible with local conditions. According to the researchers and scholars of the field, due to the long-life and long term existence with this kind of knowledge, it enjoys accuracy and capability of prediction. In spite of rare combination of indigenous knowledge with superstition, nconfirmed religious beliefs, and fear on unknown entities and issues, in overall it has a high value and status. Tendency for this kind of researches on indigenous knowledge, comes back to its hidden capabilities and at the same time, its particular applications and usages. This research aims to know and gather indigenous knowledge among Boyer Ahmad Nomads in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province. In this way, as the first step, researches employed a range of structured methods and technics of data gathering and unstructured methods, such as meetings and open interviews with local people. Questions on the ways of protection and usage of natural resources are employed in the interviews. The field data that gathered in this research, uncovers that how the people under this study, during the course of time, have given some names to the herbals and plants domesticated in this area, that are in conformity with their morphologic features and traits, ecological needs, smell, taste and the place of growth. On the other hand, the people of the given area on general and the elderly of this region in particular, are aware of the family of herbs and plants and despite the lack of academic and formal knowledge; they are able to categorize these herbs and plants in a correct way. One of the other key contributes that these nomads have, is their belief systems about the protection of those herbs and plants grown in the region. One of the Findings and results of this study makes evident that folk ethno botany is an experience and partly applied oriented science (knowledge). People under study realize every herb and plant’s features and applications and know how to classify them. Even more, they are able to draw compressions between qualities and features of herbs and plants that belong to a same group.