The word ethnobotany translates literally from Greek as culture and plants. We know that plants can survive without people, but people cannot survive without plants. We rely on plants for the air we breathe, the food we eat, the medicines we take, and the homes and clothes we make. Plants and humans have co-evolved in a deeply interconnected way. In its simplest terms, the discipline of ethnobotany explores the relationship between humans and plants.
Emrys Stromberg is a 2019 graduate of the Longwood Professional Horticulture Program and currently conducting ethnobotanical fieldwork in the tropics of Mexico. The following is Emrys’ story in his own words:
Sometimes life takes us to places we had not previously imagined. My intent and purpose upon completion of the PHP at Longwood Gardens was to pursue my lifelong dream of working with indigenous peoples in Tropical America. While the program was at times challenging for someone like myself who had been outside the academic realm for some years, it also allowed me the time and space to cultivate the network and connections that would eventually lead me to where I am today – the Sierra Madre Mountains in Jalisco, Mexico.
Growing up in the megalopolis of NYC I was attracted almost magnetically to green spaces within the city. I explored the vegetation that grew from the abandoned West Side rail and under the Brooklyn Bridge before they became known as the High Line and Brooklyn Bridge Park. I spent most of my recreational time exploring the parks and green spaces within the city. As an adult I was fortunate to work in some of the finest of these institutions including the BBG and NYBG, among others. I noticed the way these spaces brought people together and supported a sense of community. I also began to see the city as a kind of urban jungle with its layers of canopy and tributaries which support a culturally biodiverse environment. This perspective led me to study the indigenous cultures who have lived in equally close proximity with their ambient environment – albeit a different one.
Human cultures have used plants as medicine and overall ameliorants of life almost ubiquitously, with the one exception being the Inuit, who live in an environment which does not support plant life. When I was working in horticulture, I always enjoyed learning the history and uses of many of our common annuals and perennials alike, frequently taste-testing the choice culinary fruits, seeds, or flowers.
When I was in my early 20’s I took my first trip out of the country to Thailand and fell in love with the ‘Land of Smiles’. It was on an expedition to northern Thailand that I experienced firsthand the rich traditions of the Lisu and Akha indigenous people. The Lisu and Akha create ornately colorful hemp-based textiles with sophisticated motifs that portray their deeply rooted animistic spiritual beliefs. Thailand is also known for its cuisine which fuses complex flavor with medicinal plants such as lemongrass, galangal, and Thai chile.
I have since had the opportunity to travel to lands near and far experiencing the ethnobotanical differences and similarities around the world. During my time within the PHP program I travelled on plant exploration trips to the JardÍn Botánico Nacional, Cuba and to the Peruvian Amazon. These experiences brought the classroom material to life and connected the dots between theory and practice.
Upon completion of the PHP program I knew that my interest was to continue to explore ethnobotany in Tropical America or SE Asia, primarily because of the biodiversity and vastly unexplored flora of these two regions. My plan was to volunteer at a nature reserve in Ecuador. However, as has been the case in my lifetime – the universe had other plans. Over an informal conversation at the copy machine, Tamara Fleming (Director of the Fellows Program) suggested I send a note to Neil Gerlowski (2018 Longwood Fellow and Executive Director of the JardÍn Botánico Vallarta). I began doing research on the flora and cultural history of central western Mexico and contacted Mr. Gerlowski. The rest as they say is history.
Currently, I am performing fieldwork on a research project which I developed investigating the ethnobotany of the Wixárika indigenous people. The Wixárika are the oldest pre-Columbian civilization in Mexico who still practice their cultural traditions. Their botanical practices and spirituality are reflected in their highly sophisticated cosmology and in their bio-luminescent yarn and beeswax art which depicts over 130 nature deities. My primary interest is in the transformative healing properties of plants and so far, at three weeks in, the work has been extremely rewarding, exceeding my expectations.
As I sit here at my laptop looking out over the Sierra Madre mountain range – I am reminded that in many ways I am a guest in the home of a people whose cultural heritage has been strengthened through trials and tribulations, revealing a resiliency shaped by centuries of survival and prosperity. I began my work by reading as many articles as I could on ethics and ethnobotanical practice including the International Society of Ethnobiology’s code of ethics which stresses the importance of mindfulness. Approaching my work with a scientific mind I am aware that the cosmology of the Wixárika is also based on an observational science spanning millennia. I approach each phase of my work here with a reverence and respect for the ethnobotany and spirit of people and place.
Much like plant communities are based on intricate networks, my collaboration with JardÍn Botánico Vallarta and others has proven to be paramount to my work thus far. As much as I would like to take credit for the continued development and success of my work here, I firmly believe that together we can do what we cannot do alone.
Future goals include articles and presentations both within Mexico and the US.