Is it possible that plants have shaped the very trajectory of human
cultures? Using riveting stories of fieldwork in remote villages, two of
the world's leading ethnobotanists argue that our past and our future
are deeply intertwined with plants. Creating massive sea craft from
plants, indigenous shipwrights spurred the navigation of the world's
oceans. Today, indigenous agricultural innovations continue to feed,
clothe, and heal the world's population. One out of four prescription
drugs, for example, were discovered from plants used by traditional
healers. Objects as common as baskets for winnowing or wooden boxes to
store feathers were ornamented with traditional designs demonstrating
the human ability to understand our environment and to perceive the
cosmos. Throughout the world, the human body has been used as the
ultimate canvas for plant-based adornment as well as indelible design
using tattoo inks.
Plants also garnered religious significance, both as offerings to the
gods and as a doorway into the other world. Indigenous claims that
plants themselves are sacred is leading to a startling reformulation of
conservation. The authors argue that conservation goals can best be
achieved by learning from, rather than opposing, indigenous peoples and
their beliefs.
KEY FEATURES
- An engrossing narrative that invites the reader to personally engage
with the relationship between plants, people, and culture
- Full-color illustrations throughout--including many original
photographs captured by the authors during fieldwork
- New to this edition--"Plants That Harm," a chapter that examines the
dangers of poisonous plants and the promise that their study holds for
novel treatments for some of our most serious diseases, including
Alzheimer's and substance addiction
- Additional readings at the end of each chapter to encourage further
exploration
- Boxed features on selected topics that offer further insight
- Provocative questions to facilitate group discussion
Designed for the college classroom as well as for lay readers, this
update of Plants, People, and Culture entices the reader with
firsthand stories of fieldwork, spectacular illustrations, and a deep
respect for both indigenous peoples and the earth's natural heritage.
