The what, where, and who of native plants is … ethnobotany! Which is under the umbrella of Ethnoecology! The wonderful botanist Leigh Joseph shares what steered her to this field, how she includes her Squamish First Nation community in her research, and how we relate to plants – both native and invasive. She’ll chat about how to identify plants, Latin names vs. traditional names, how knowledge is passed down or silenced, the chilling history that inspired some of her work, uses for barks and berries and saps and teas, pharmaceuticals derived from Indigenous knowledge, ceremonial plants, the dos and absolutely do-nots of harvesting, skin remedies, white sage, and so much more. Also what should I put on my face?
Visit Leigh Joseph’s website and follow her on Instagram
Buy her book: Held by the Land: A Guide to Indigenous Plants for Wellness
Shop Leigh’s plant-based beauty brand: Skwálwen Botanicals
Donations went to Indigenous Climate Action and Seeding Sovereignty
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Foraging Ecology (EATING WILD PLANTS) with @BlackForager, Alexis Nikole Nelson, Indigenous Cuisinology (NATIVE COOKING), Smologies #31: INDIGENOUS COOKING, Indigenous Pedology (SOIL SCIENCE), Bryology (MOSS) with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Dendrology (TREES), Wildlife Ecology (FIELDWORK), Urology (CROTCH PARTS), Nephrology (KIDNEYS), Carnivorous Phytobiology (MEAT-EATING PLANTS)
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn