The purpose of this paper is to clarify changes in village lifestyle caused by a dam construction plan. An investigation of Zenmai (Osmunda japonica) gathering in Miomote, Niigata prefecture in Japan was conducted in order to identify such changes. Zenmai gathering is a traditional occupation of the village people, which is highly susceptible to the influences of nature. Changes will be analyzed in accordance with the following four points: 1. Mutual relationship between village people and natural environment as reflected by the way people gather Zenmai. 2. Production of Zenmai and its economic importance to village life. 3. Communal characteristics of the village as represented by the customary practice of Zenmai gathering. 4. People's perception of the balance between nature and their Zenmai gathering activities.
This paper is based on 40 days field research from May to December in 1981.
The results can be summarized as follows.
1) The gathering area for each family around 1970 was determined. The size of these areas did not change following 1970. The village people who gathered Zenmai were aware of Zenmai ecology. The gathering territory was decided by mutual agreement. This produced stability and high Zenmai production.
2) In 1981 however the area changed as most land came to be used by two or more families. Overgathering, a disregard of Zenmai ecology and destruction of the gathering territory structure occurred. This state of affairs has produced changes in people's perception of their relationship to nature and instability in Zenmai production.
3) The change in the Zenmai gathering field structure was caused by a dam construction plan, which has been in negotiation for ten years. No final agreement has yet been reached. The other causes of the change were the increase in the number of Zenmai gatherers, and the emergence of new Zenmai gathering areas caused by the expansion of older areas.
As described in the four points mentioned above, the changes in Miomote, an area waiting a decision concerning the future dam site, show clearly the deterioration of a once stable community toward that of an unstable state.
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