Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine最新文献

{"title":"A potion for prolonged life? Germes' recipe, a secret handwritten note from an 18th-century Swedish physician.","authors":"Fabien Schultz, Tobias Niedenthal, Isabel Nicolai-Lorenz, Kandace Baez, Tabitha Iker, Leif-Alexander Garbe","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00813-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00813-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Toward the end of the late Middle Ages and into the early modern era, a variety of elixirs and potions for longevity with claimed medical effects were advertised by pharmacists and distributed throughout Europe. At the same time, there was an increasing emergence of handwritten commonplace books of home remedies, first among the aristocrats and rich merchants, then later among other populations, providing basic recipes for all types of common medical disorders. From a historical-pharmacological perspective, this study seeks to analyze a handwritten note encompassing a recipe detailing an herbal elixir for prolonged life that was written by a Swedish physician named Germes. It was discovered by the authors in an old herbal book purchased at a flea market in Germany. The note, composed of three pages, appears to be written in a type of German cursive handwriting. One study objective was to transcribe this note into Latin alphabet-based German and then further translate the document into modern English. Furthermore, this study aimed (a) to estimate the period of the note's creation; (b) to contextualize Germes' recipe in history regarding the contemporary understanding of the nature and effectiveness of such formulations; (c) to assess its uniqueness, and (d) to examine the criteria used by the original practitioner, and later by consumers, in order to evaluate the efficacy of such home remedies, while also analyzing how these perceptions evolved before and after creation of the handwritten primary source..</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The transcription process was performed through manual reading and inputting into a word processing software, with guidance from several manuals. Historical placement of the note was achieved through the assessment of the calligraphic handwriting and analysis of terms and words that were specific for a certain time period. Contextualization was performed through a review of various primary sources on plant medicine and contemporary pharmacy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis of the transcribed note made it possible to narrow down its creation to 1770-1820. It tells the story of Germes, whose secret elixir recipe was found in his jacket after he fatally fell off his horse at the age of 104, with his family members also living exceptionally long, which all accredits to the panacea described. The note contains accurate descriptions of its preparation and methods of administration, and Germes' elixir can be used in the treatment of a variety of medical disorders. Several similar recipes for elixirs for longevity were identified in the literature, with a contemporary remedy called \"Swedish Bitters\" being nearly identical in terms of ingredient composition. The origins of \"Swedish Bitters\" were traced back to the late seventeenth century or early eighteenth century, where it rapidly gained popularity in the European market, particularly in Germany. This may accredit the handwrit","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"68"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12541932/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145349535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Boat-shaped houses of the indigenous Li people on Hainan Island, China: plant resources and ecological adaptations.","authors":"Guang-Hui Ma, Ming-Xun Ren, Ding-Hai Yang, Xiao-Dong Mu","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00818-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00818-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The traditional boat-shaped houses of the Li people on Hainan Island, China, reflect centuries of ecological adaptation to the tropical rainforest. These vernacular dwellings are now threatened by rural depopulation and rapid modernization. We explore the ecological function, material use, and cultural value of the boat-shaped houses of the Li people and support their nomination as a site of UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We combined ethnobotanical surveys, environmental measurements, and literature analysis to evaluate plant-based construction, house-environment interactions, and traditional knowledge.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study identified four types of traditional boat-shaped houses of the Li people on Hainan Island, constructed using 26 plant species across 13 families. Environmental monitoring showed that in natural conditions, boat-shaped houses had lower indoor air temperatures (by 1.3 °C in Chubao Village), reduced relatively humidity (by 7.3% in Baicha Village), and significantly lower wet bulb globe temperatures (by 9.6 °C in Baicha Village), compared to modern brick houses. Boat-shaped houses thus provided a more thermally comfortable environment than modern brick houses, particularly during the dry season. The results emphasize the green, low-carbon construction cycle of boat-shaped houses and highlight the urgent need to conserve this ecologically sustainable traditional knowledge system.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Li boat-shaped houses demonstrate a low-carbon, climate-adaptive building system rooted in indigenous knowledge. Their preservation offers critical insights for sustainable design and biocultural conservation in tropical regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12522694/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145294187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eco-cultural synergy: exploring the links between native trees, rituals, and conservation in Guji Society, Southern Ethiopia.","authors":"Gemeda Odo Roba","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00783-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00783-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study explores the profound links between rituals and native trees in Guji society, focusing on their symbolic, cosmological, and socio-spiritual significance in the Gadaa system.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Employing interviews, transect walks, and focus group discussions, data were collected from 43 purposively and snowball-sampled participants, including Gadaa leaders, elders, women, youth, and cultural experts. The analysis was conducted through thematic analysis and qualitative description.</p><p><strong>The findings: </strong>The findings reveal that native trees-such as Euphorbia candelabrum var. bilocularis (Hadaammaa), Ficus vasta Forssk (Qilxaa), Vachellia horrida subsp. Benadirensis (Hurbuu), Afrocarpus gracilior (Birbissa), and Olea europaea subsp. africana (Ejersaa)-are sacred entities central to rituals like supplication and ancestral commemoration, embodying ecological and cultural harmony as eco-cultural synergy. These trees are protected through taboos and customary rules, reflecting a belief system that personifies them as divine gifts essential for the prosperity and resilience of people. However, deforestation, agricultural expansion, and cultural erosion threaten this eco-cultural synergy. Despite challenges, the Guji employ adaptive strategies, including replanting sacred trees and restorative rituals.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The culturally constructed and symbolically validated connections between rituals and trees-forming an eco-cultural synergy-serve as a testament to a society's harmonious relationship with nature, where local belief systems and ecology coalesce into sustainable coexistence. Preserving these links underpins the conservation of trees as biocultural diversity hotspots and sustains cultural practices. Thus, there should be implementation of integrated conservation measures that address both ecological and cultural dimensions of native trees. This approach should prioritize community engagement, policy reinforcement, and sustainable practices to preserve the biocultural diversity of Guji society against the pressures of modernity.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12502498/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145240303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An ethnobotanical study on medicinal food plants used by the Kazakh people in Altay, Xinjiang, China.","authors":"Ya-Qin Zhao, Bo Lei, Yuan-Jin Qiu, Ji-Zhao Zhang, Wen-Dan Song, Yelxat Danabek, Cong-Zhao Fan, Guo-Ping Wang","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00817-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00817-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Kazakh people of Altay, Xinjiang, possess rich traditional knowledge associated with medicinal food plants (MFPs), shaped by their nomadic pastoralist heritage and the unique mountain-grassland ecosystems of the region. However, this biocultural heritage remains insufficiently documented and is increasingly threatened by human's economic activities, rapid globalization, climate change, and generational knowledge loss. This study aimed to record MFPs, evaluate their cultural and ecological relevance, and assess their conservation challenges.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ethnobotanical fieldwork was conducted in 2012 and 2017 across Altay Prefecture. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 100 key informants, including traditional healers, herders, and merchants, complemented by focal group discussions, field observations, and voucher specimen collection. Voucher specimens were deposited at the Herbarium of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ethnomedicine (XJNM). Use-value (UV) index was calculated to assess the relative importance of each species. Traditional knowledge, edible applications, and sustainability concerns were systematically documented.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 118 MFP species were identified, belonging to 37 families and 85 genera. Rosaceae (12.7%), Asteraceae (7.6%), Polygonaceae (7.6%) and Fabaceae (7.6%) were the most represented families. Herbaceous plants dominated (69.5%), with fruits (33.9%) and roots (20.3%) being the primary edible parts. Species with the highest medicinal UV included Glycyrrhiza uralensis (UV = 0.56), Taraxacum officinale (UV = 0.41), and Codonopsis pilosula (UV = 0.34). MFPs were primarily used to treat digestive (26.1%) and respiratory (17.7%) ailments, reflecting the health challenges associated with a nomadic lifestyle. These plants are also deeply embedded in cultural practices, including seasonal dietary customs (e.g., sea buckthorn jam), spiritual rituals, and ecological taboos such as phenology-based harvest timing. Key threats to MFPs sustainability include overharvesting (30.5% of species are now cultivated to mitigate pressure), climate change impacts on alpine habitats, and the erosion of traditional knowledge, as only 9% of informants with rich knowledge of MFPs were under the age of 30.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Kazakh MFPs represent a culturally integrated \"medicine-food continuum\" intricately adapted to local ecological conditions. Sustainable utilization requires the incorporation of traditional knowledge-such as phenology-informed harvesting practices-into conservation strategies, the promotion of community-led cultivation of vulnerable species, and the documentation of associated cultural practices. Given accelerating environmental and sociocultural shifts, urgent efforts are needed to preserve this fragile biocultural heritage.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12482698/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145193678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The ecology of plant ingredients, food heritage, and adaptation among Syrian, Afghan, and Egyptian Coptic diasporas in Northwestern Italy.","authors":"Mousaab Alrhmoun, Naji Sulaiman, Laura Longhi, Ajmal Khan Manduzai, Abdullah Faiz, Francesca Manzetti, Chiara Gasperini, Alice Peruzzo, Dauro M Zocchi, Andrea Pieroni","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00815-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00815-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study investigates how migration affects the culinary practices of Syrian, Afghan, and Egyptian Coptic communities living in Northwest Italy, specifically focusing on how these groups preserve, adapt, or abandon traditional foodways in a new socio-cultural environment. The objective is to understand the role of food in maintaining cultural identity and navigating integration in the host country.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a multidisciplinary approach, the research combines semi-structured interviews with 64 participants. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4 and R 4.4.2. Descriptive and frequency analyses summarized demographic and food-related patterns, while Fisher's exact tests and logistic regression assessed differences and predictors of traditional food maintenance. Qualitative data from interviews were thematically analyzed using an inductive approach, highlighting key themes such as adaptation, resilience, and cultural continuity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings reveal distinct culinary patterns shaped by each group's cultural and ecological heritage, Syrian horticultural traditions, Afghan pastoral legacies, and the Coptic plant-based diet. While culinary resilience, adaptation, and loss occur across all groups, the extent varies. Influencing factors include ingredient availability, economic constraints, and levels of social integration. Age, gender, religion, and migration history further shape food behavior.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This research underscores the dynamic relationship between migration and food, highlighting how culinary practices serve as a site of both cultural preservation and adaptation in diaspora contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12482145/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145193620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What are the most significant challenges that ethnobiology and ethnomedicine have faced so far, and how were they dealt with?","authors":"Rainer W Bussmann, Narel Y Paniagua Zambrana, Emiel De Meyer","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00814-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00814-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ethnobiology explores the complex, evolving relationships between humans and the natural world, encompassing diverse subfields such as ethnobotany, ethnozoology, ethnopharmacology, and more. This scientific field of research has undergone several developmental phases since its inception in the late nineteenth century, evolving from colonial-era documentation of useful species to contemporary collaborative and decolonized approaches that emphasize community participation and interdisciplinary research addressing global crises. All ethnobiological studies are valuable especially if they ultimately help to foster science and conservation and improve the livelihoods of the populations whose plants and knowledge are studied. Hypothesis driven studies just serving scientific ego are borderline neocolonial, as is the transfer of values, opinions, beliefs, analysis methods that we personally regard as true onto societies we work with, without first obtaining prior informed consent. Great care must be taken when interpreting the results of molecular data and statistical analyses (indices), and much more care needs to be taken distinguishing between \"knowledge\" and actual \"use\". And we must remember that the basis of any Ethnobiological studies is a solid botanical, zoological, and ecological knowledge, i.e., especially the correct taxonomic identification of plants and animal species. Given the emergence of sharing knowledge as part of \"online information\", it is important to safeguard aspects such as data sovereignty, as data could be extracted from its original context to be misused or commercialized without proper consent or without sharing benefits. Contextualizing the development of research by considering the existence of digital tools that transform and influence the way knowledge is transmitted and learned and considering that community members have access to many of these tools and use them in their search for information is essential. Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), offer possibilities for new modes of analysis. By transforming their set of methodological tools, ethnobiologists can improve the rigor, inclusiveness, and social relevance of their work. Methodological innovation creates opportunities to include a greater diversity of perspectives, particularly those of underrepresented communities, and to respond more effectively to contemporary socioecological challenges. The impact of research must begin to be measured beyond the pure impact of publications. The social relevance of research must begin to be considered and evaluated.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"63"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12465132/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Healing hands: a traditional bone-setting practice in South Wollo, Kelala Woreda Ethiopia.","authors":"Girum Melkamu Tadesse, Endris Kassaw","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00812-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00812-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In many rural regions of Ethiopia, traditional bone-setting remains a key form of healthcare, especially where formal medical services are scarce or inaccessible. Although deeply rooted in cultural practice, it is often dismissed in biomedical discourse due to its informal and non-scientific methods. This study investigates the lived experiences, knowledge systems, and treatment practices of traditional bone setters in Kelala Woreda, South Wollo Zone, within the Amhara Regional State. Using ethnographic methods, including participant observation and semi-structured interviews, the research captures how traditional knowledge is passed down through generations and explores the motivations behind patients' continued reliance on bone setters over modern medical alternatives. The findings indicate that this form of healing is more than a medical intervention; it is a socially and spiritually grounded practice that fosters community trust and cohesion. Furthermore, the research highlights a lack of scholarly and policy attention to the anthropological significance of these practices. By offering a nuanced understanding of traditional bone-setting from a cultural perspective, this study calls for a more integrated approach to health systems that recognizes and respects indigenous healing methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"61"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12465272/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selection criteria for use and conservation priorities for plant species in a Quilombola community in Baixada Maranhense, Brazil.","authors":"Thauana Oliveira Rabelo, André Luiz Borba do Nascimento, Eduardo Bezerra de Almeida","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00798-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00798-w","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;The Amazonian biome is home to a vast diversity of plant species that are of fundamental importance to traditional communities such as the Quilombolas. These communities use different criteria to select and prioritize species for use. This study focused on the perceptions of these communities regarding the availability of medicinal, food, and timber plant species, with the aim of identifying priority resources for conservation and assessing the risks associated with the collection of these resources in the Queluz Quilombo, Anajatuba, Maranhão State. To this end, the following hypotheses were tested: Useful plants perceived by informants as more abundant locally will be more multifunctional; (II) more versatile; (III) more frequently recalled by informants; and (IV) there is a difference in collection sites depending on the use category.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Between March 2022 and December 2023, 75 out of 105 families residing in the visited communities agreed to participate in the study and were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires that included socioeconomic questions and free lists. Plants were assessed based on their perceived abundance in the area. Generalized Linear Models were used to examine the relationship between perceived abundance, species versatility, and their salience by category. In addition, percentages were calculated for collection sites and the structure of the most affected plants within each category.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Multifunctionality and versatility food did not significantly affect the perceived abundance of useful plants; however, versatility in medicinal and timber use was found to be significant (p-value: 0.012* e p-value: 0.011*, respectively). Proximity of resources to homes was a key indicator of abundance for food plants, while effectiveness and quality were the primary factors for medicinal and timber species. Timber species such as Paparaúba (Simarouba spp.), Sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia Benth.), Pau D'arco (Handroanthus albus (Cham.) Matto), Cedar (Cedrela spp.), and Jenipapo (Genipa americana L.) were identified as being under greater use pressure. However, local factors have mitigated the risks associated with collecting these resources. The study found that medicinal and food plants are mainly collected in backyards (87.07%), while timber plants are more commonly gathered from the forest (74.14%). The parts of plants most affected differ by category, with leaves (97.14%) and fruits (77.73%) being primarily collected from medicinal and food plants, respectively, and stems (100%) from timber plants.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;These findings provide valuable insights for the development of conservation strategies and the sustainable management of plant resources within local communities. The results emphasize the need to consider both biodiversity and the socioeconomic and cultural dimensions involved in the use of these natural r","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"62"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12465610/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Indigenous medicinal knowledge and therapeutic practices of the endangered Ongota/Birale of Southwest Ethiopia.","authors":"Endalkachew Hailu Guluma, Temesgen Minwagaw Lemma, Sintayehu Semu Workineh, Gashaw Kachano Kitolo, Behailu Merdekios Gello, Mulugeta Kebebew Robi, Andualem Girma Desalegn, Gebreiyesus Mekt Bayleyegn","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00786-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00786-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study documents the indigenous medicinal knowledge of the Ongota/Birale people in Hinchete Kebele (county) of Benna Tsemay Woreda (district), South Omo Zone, Ethiopia whose language is endangered, with only six speakers remaining. With their language endangered, documenting their heritage of ethnomedicine is necessary. The study was conducted from January 2023 to February 2024.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with the remaining speakers, field observations, and medicinal plants specimen collection across 14 locations. The data were translated, transcribed, coded, and thematized. Thematic analysis was applied for identifying recurring themes and patterns in the data and interpreting. Frequency analysis was used for some quantifiable data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ninety-eight sources were cataloged in this study including 31 plant taxa, 8 animal derivatives, 4 minerals, and 3 other materials. Thirty-seven distinct human health problems/Roosaa/ were treated by these. Solanaceae is the most frequently used plant family closely followed by Burseraceae and Tiliaceae. Herbs comprised the largest proportion (38.7%) of the identified medicinal plant species, followed by shrubs (25.8%), trees (22.58%), and climbers (12.9%). 83.87% were harvested from wild areas (natural forest) and 16.13% from home gardens. Grinding and crushing constituted (70%) as the dominant preparation method. The most common routes of administration are dermal (51.35%) and oral (35.13%). Animal-based products (milk, butter, honey, spleen, fat, blood), traditional drinks ('areke' and 'boordee'), and minerals (red soil, the salt mineral 'megaaddoo,' common salt, and copper) were also used. The most frequent therapies reported are cauterization (33.3%), bloodletting (33.3%), massage (22.2%), and acupressure (11.1%). From the 26 medicinal plants that grow in the study area, 7 i.e., Ocimum americanum, Acalypha fruticosa, Corchorus tridens, Adenium obesum, Terminalia brownii, Boswellia neglecta, and Sansevieria ehrenbergii were not reported for similar uses previously. Pharmacological studies have not yet been reported for 12 of the 26 medicinal plants against the causative agents of the diseases they reported.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The Birale/Ongota have rich indigenous medicinal knowledge and therapeutic practices that have been maintaining their health. However, due to threats by environmental challenges and the endangerment of their language and culture, further research on ways of conserving their biodiversity and indigenous livelihoods, preserving their medicinal plants, finding the active ingredients in them, and integrating their indigenous healthcare system with the modern are required.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"60"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12465694/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biocultural memory of reciprocity: the Mapuche trafkintu as social-ecological relationships of care and vindication.","authors":"Gonzalo Salazar, Magdalena Reyes, Santiago Kaulen-Luks, María Guadalupe Barrera, Alison Burgos, José Tomás Ibarra","doi":"10.1186/s13002-025-00811-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13002-025-00811-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Reconsidering the relationship between humans and more-than-human beings amid global crises has brought reciprocity practices between people and biodiversity to the forefront. We examine social-ecological reciprocity practices within Indigenous territories and their direct connection to biocultural memory. Specifically, we explore the Mapuche practice of trafkintu in the Andean zone of Wallmapu, La Araucanía region of southern Chile. Using a mixed-methods framework, from a relational perspective, we integrate spatial analysis of a seed exchange network involving 80 local farmers, with an ethnographic and collaborative phase with 12 Mapuche women-who are part of this network-over three years. We found that social-ecological reciprocity practices-like those in the trafkintu-are constitutive of a biocultural memory. This biocultural memory has been vital for sustaining and transforming social-ecological reciprocity practices amid colonial and neo-colonial pressures. We term this recursion the \"memory of reciprocity.\" This provides key insights into how reciprocity manifests as a quality of complex social-ecological relationships, marked by mutual care among people, seeds, and other more-than-human beings. It also helps us understand how, amid the colonialism and dispossession endured by Indigenous peoples for centuries, reciprocity has been essential to survival and vindication.</p>","PeriodicalId":49162,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine","volume":"21 1","pages":"59"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12382182/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144976046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}