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The data presented in this paper are derived from a wider study that was conducted on the ethnobiological knowledge of Haitian people living in the Province of Camagey. Cultural aspects related to traditional plant posology are addressed, as well as changes and adaptation of Haitian medicinal knowledge with emigration and integration over time. A Haitian Treasure: Vetiver Dr. Naika Apeakorang only with the new moon [42]), where the remedy is ingested periodically throughout the year. The continuous ingestion of low doses of the allelochemicals in these species may be an effective means to prevent massive parasite infestations, especially in children [43]. Inventaire ethnopharmacologique. Sour orange leaves can fix that. Camagey is the largest province in Cuba, at 15,615 km2, corresponding to 14.3% of the nation's territory. Among these, there are plants that are important medicinals for Haitians, such as Artemisia absinthium, Phyllanthus procerus, and Priva lappulacea, as well as culturally relevant Haitian food plants that are also used in the realm of traditional medicine, such as Abelmoschus esculentus, Cajanus cajan, Corchorus siliquosus, and Xanthosoma sagittifolium, and some species used for ritual and religious baths such as Allophylus cominia, Alpinia speciosa, and Vitex trifolia. Quinine has quite a reputation for being used in the past to induce abortion. Au DT, Wu J, Jiang Z, Chen H, Lu G, Zhao Z: Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by Hakka in Guangdong, China. Decoction of fresh herbal components (mainly leaves and other aerial parts) is the preferred means to prepare medicinal remedies. 1998, 32: 57-62. During the decades after emigration, the original Haitian ethnomedicinal knowledge progressively changed and adapted to the new environment, maintaining cultivation and use of important medicinal plants, incorporating plants and uses from the host Cuban culture, and diffusing specific plant uses to Cubans in contact with Haitian communities. Naomie Phillis, 50, sells traditional herbal medicine in Ption-Ville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. (Jordan, 726) Nonetheless, catnip is such a good all-purpose herb it is no surprise that it shares equal popularity in Haiti as it does in the hill country of Missouri and Arkansas. Almost half of the plants reported in this study are not reported in Beyra et al. These mixtures can be more or less complex, ranging from a concoction of two plants to complex preparations with different species. Primero Simposio de Botnica; La Habana. 1960, Port-au-Prince: Imprimerie de L'etat, Leon R: Phytotherapie Haitienne; Nos simple. They are used to treat rashes in children caused by measles and smallpox (e.g. Fuentes V: Plants in Afro-Cuban Religions. " Two main stores are situated in North Montreal and offer a choice of several dozen Haitian medicinal plants, dried and packaged in small plastic bags (Fig. Traditional and ritual plant posology should be investigated in more depth in ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies in order to understand their relation with medicinal plant efficacy and toxicity. Haitian with a dried fruit of Abelmoschus esculentus from his homegarden (G. Volpato). The most frequently used species are Chenopodium ambrosioides, Cissus verticillata, Cocos nucifera, Crescentia cujete, Cymbopogon citratus, Lippia alba, Momordica charantia, Pimenta dioica, Portulaca oleracea, Psidium guajava, and Stachytarpheta jamaicensis. But in Haiti, the purifying qualities of sarsaparilla are held to be more important because of the emphasis Haitians place on the role of blood in the body. Informants reported using 123 plant species belonging to 112 genera in 63 families. 105 e/ngel y Pobre, Camagey, Cuba, Daimy Godnez,Angela Beyra&Adelaida Barreto, You can also search for this author in Brandon G. The uses of plants in healing in an Afro-Cuban religion, Santeria. Haitian migrants played an important role shaping Cuban culture and traditional ethnobotanical knowledge. This use of cricket's legs has been also reported by Hernndez and Volpato [19] in their article about the medicinal mixtures of Eastern Cuba, as well as by Seoane [16] in his treatise on Cuban medical folklore. If they or their leaf doctor sense that any of these factors are out of balance in their body, they dose themselves with an decoction (tea) of sarsaparilla root. Inventory of medicinal plants used by Haitian immigrants and their descendants in the Province of Camagey, Cuba. (Kloss, 300; Laguerre, 30). government site. William Seabrook's work The Magic Island also cites the usage of verbena in women who are in labor (Seabrook 327). She is picking cerasee to use in a bush bath for a rash. Interviews were conducted in Spanish after first explaining the aims of the study. Conversely, and to a lesser extent, Haitians contributed to what is today considered as traditional Cuban medicine by introducing into the dominant Cuban community certain specific ethnobotanical practices and uses of plants, as described also in Volpato et al. Consequently, there is little data in the literature about the ethnobotanical knowledge and practices of Haitians in Cuba, with the exception of Volpato et al. Guanche J, Moreno D: Caidije. Chenopodium ambrosioides, Momordica charantia) are used to treat intestinal parasites. Traveling cultures and plants The ethnobiology and ethnopharmacy of migrations. The continuous ingestion of low doses of the allelochemicals in these species may be an effective means to prevent massive parasite infestations, especially in children [43]. Citrus aurantium was found to be used medicinally to treat colds, fevers, hepatic disorders, gall bladder problems, rheumatism, epilepsy, emotional shock, bruising internally and externally, skin blemishes and digestive problems. An ethnobotanical investigation was conducted to collect information on medicinal plant use by Haitian immigrants and their descendants in the Province of Camagey, Cuba. Haitian Plants Medicine. y tienen faxones y fabas muy diversos de los nuestros " Origin, Evolution and Diversity of Cuban Plant Genetic Resources. In the latter province, they mainly settled in Haitian communities such as Caidije and Guanamaca, thus permitting the perpetuation of their own culture, including the voodoo religion and the creole language [9-12]. Partly it . So, Lippia alba and Cymbopogon citratus often appear in the corpus of ethnobotanical knowledge of African origin in Cuba [14,51], and Erythroxylum havanense and Chiococca alba are among the main ingredients of multi-herbal preparations used as a medicinal remedy in Eastern Cuba as well as a spiritual remedy in Afro-Cuban religions [19,34]. Today we have black-eyed peas, sesame seeds and peanuts in the Americas because slaves brought them along on the middle passage. The plants cited were photographed, collected with the informants during the interviews, and identified by authors (D.G., A.B., A.B.) 2005, 97: 337-350. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Viladrich A: Between bellyaches and lucky charms. Audrey Rowe is Jamaican. Canella winterana, Pimenta dioica) are added to preparations with stomachic purposes. Have a sore throat? It would seem that to Haitian or Ozarkian, herbs are a comfort: they keep one grounded in the past and more importantly, they can be effective and inexpensive cures.. After realizing that a similarity existed between Haiti and mid-western America in terms of people gathering and using herbs, I wanted to discover if the two countries shared any common herbal remedies. Baths are also prepared to rid people of the 'bad' and the 'evil eye', a practice known in Afro-Cuban religions as despojo [34, 35], mainly using species such as Vitex trifolia, Trichilia glabra, Alpinia speciosa, Allophyllus cominia. But quinine is a chemical salt that can cause violent reactions, unlike gentle verbena. Its worse than cod liver oil.. Momordica charantia, Solanum americanum and Stachytarpheta jamaicensis are among those species most cited by Haitians in this study. Quassia was thought to have been a leaf healer in Surinam before being brought to Haiti. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the DeSantis' appointed board approves a lawsuit against Disney, South Florida professor allegedly fired over racial justice unit files civil rights complaint, Gas prices across Florida are on the decline and could get even lower, Florida LGBTQ+ lawmaker tells the GOP: 'Im literally trying to exist', The Symphonia's climate change-themed concert series concludes with 'Water', Favorite Zip Odes: Poems about cafecito, heat, language and I-95 traffic, Bumping Lady Gaga off the charts? In: Pieroni A, Price LL, editor. This lapse of time is long enough to permit insights to be drawn regarding the process of transformation and adaptation of ethnomedicinal knowledge after migration and in the ways in which the progressive integration of migrants in the host culture modifies this knowledge. (Laguerre, 68) In the Ozarks catnip tea administered to babies quiets colic and can even be used to stop convulsions. I used Kloss's Back to Eden and Santillo's Natural Healing with Herbs for my American source books. [15] who interviewed 29 Cuban informants across the Province of Camagey and reported 111 species used for medicinal purposes. Besides single medicinal plants, 22 herbal mixtures, mostly prepared as a concoction of plants or plant parts, are reported. In: Hammer K, Esquivel M, Knpffer H, editor. Other medicinal uses reported in this study and also commonly found in the Cuban pharmacopoeia include the use of the aerial parts of Cissus verticillata for respiratory problems, of the young fruit of Cocos nucifera and the leaves of Portulaca oleracea for intestinal parasites, of the bark and the leaves of Mangifera indica for gastrointestinal and respiratory problems respectively. Rituality based on 'sacred' numbers represents, in these cases, a simple way of memorizing the proper dose to be used, as well as a contribution to the efficacy of the remedy by calling upon supernatural forces and entities related to those numbers. Haitian ethnobotanical practices related to traditional posology often follow cosmological/ritual numbers, both for plant quantities and timing of administration. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted For most Haitian migrants, given their poverty, there was no possibility to make trips back to Haiti to procure remedies that were not available in the new environment. Baths are the second more important category of means of application at almost 16% of the total. the contents by NLM or the National Institutes of Health. In the case of a child with persistent 'evil eye' (for example when the child cries excessively), after the bath the child's clothes are burnt, and a collar is made with seeds of Canavalia ensiformis and placed on the child, as reported also in Haiti [36]. from therapeutic activities pertaining to this cult are of the same kind as those encountered in the practice of Modern Medicine. Terms and Conditions, Uses of medicinal plants by Haitian immigrants and their descendants in The decoction of fresh herbal components is by far the preferred means to prepare medicinal remedies, accounting for almost 60% of all preparations, which is similar to what has been found in traditional Cuban medicine [15,17,19]. 1999, 13: 145-150. GV drafted the manuscript. About Haiti Medicine - Haiti | Haiti Medicine S.A. The species belong to 112 genera and 63 families, with a prevalence of Annona and Citrus (three species each) among the genera, and among the families of Fabaceae (9.8%), Asteraceae (6.5%), Euphorbiaceae and Verbenaceae (4.9%), Lamiaceae and Rutaceae (3.3%). Estudio etnobotnico I. Fuentes V. Plants in Afro-Cuban Religions. Voodoo, a traditional religion, is widely known for this hybrid form of care. The magic . Pedro A. Guanamaca, una comunidad haitiana. The present investigation shows that Haitian migrants and their descendants living in the Province of Camagey (Cuba) have medicinal uses for 123 plant species belonging to 112 genera in 63 families. 10.1016/S0378-8741(98)00031-2. In reference to therapeutic use, almost half of the remedies are intended to treat gastro-intestinal afflictions (stomach pains, and as digestive and carminative; about 20%) and afflictions of the respiratory system (catarrh, asthma, colds, cough; about 18%). Haitian Medicinal Plants. They are persistent. For example, a small spoonful of the hairs of the fruits of Mucuna pruriens is mixed with Psidium guayaba jam and ingested before breakfast for three days; the massive diarrhea that follows is supposed to eliminate all worms from the gut and the stomach, as reported also by Seoane [16]. A fresh pot of cerasee or asosi tea, a traditional plant used across the Caribbean for all ailments. Haitian Plants Medicine, One natural remedy that can be made from the plants and herbs in your herb garden is a frustration painkiller called Echinacea. 2007, Oxford: Berghahn, 14-38. More than 50% of the mixtures are used to treat afflictions of the respiratory system. the use of Dichrostachys cinerea as antidiarrhoeic) or incomplete imitation of local practices. People who migrated in the 1920s generally sailed to eastern Cuba looking for jobs on the sugarcane plantations to improve their living conditions and support their families in Haiti. Children's baths prepared with anthelmintic plants (e.g. Eating and Healing: Traditional Food as Medicine. Here Kloss seems to be hinting in his 1939 publication that vervain can be used to cause abortion. The Magic of Haitian Remed Fey Asosi or cerasee or corailee Among these, there are plants that are important medicinals for Haitians, such as Artemisia absinthium, Phyllanthus procerus, and Priva lappulacea, as well as culturally relevant Haitian food plants that are also used in the realm of traditional medicine, such as Abelmoschus esculentus, Cajanus cajan, Corchorus siliquosus, and Xanthosoma sagittifolium, and some species used for ritual and religious baths such as Allophylus cominia, Alpinia speciosa, and Vitex trifolia. Cash-Strapped Haitians Find Voodoo a Cheaper Alternative to Traditional Esquivel M, Fuentes V, Martnez C, Martnez J, Hammer K. The African influence from an Ethnobotanical Point of View. Immigration was a key factor in the plans for economic reconstruction after the War of Independence against Spain, and West Indians entered Cuba as cheap labour required to cut sugarcane [8]. religious and traditional practices have merged with medicine. Generally, decoction is used for hard and ligneous parts, including coriaceous leaves, while infusion is used only for soft leaves and shoots, especially from aromatic plants (e.g. Shes picking up bush to make some kind of remedy. . GV, DG, AB, and AB carried out interviews and collected data in the field. Most Haitians were illiterate, crowded into barracks (barracones), paid a miserable salary, and compelled to hand over their savings to reimburse the cost of their passage [7, 9]. (Colon, 154).. Citrus Aurantium (Rutaceae) in Haiti Edited by: Pieroni A, Vandebroek I. She learned from her mother, who learned from her mother, who learned from her mother and so on. To locate the respondents, we first focused on the areas in the province where historical and oral records indicate the presence of Haitian communities (e.g. Traditional pharmacology and medicine in Africa. She is a believer of remed fey, or bush medicine. The most frequently used species are Chenopodium ambrosioides, Cissus verticillata, Cocos nucifera, Crescentia cujete, Cymbopogon citratus, Lippia alba, Momordica charantia, Pimenta dioica, Portulaca oleracea, Psidium guajava, and Stachytarpheta jamaicensis. Given the availability of medicinal plants in the surrounding environment, for some species at least, the use of fresh plants may present the advantage of preserving more active compounds and consequently enhancing their absorption and effectiveness. She belongs to an unofficial club of Caribbean folks around South Florida who pick bushes from other peoples front yards and the side of the road. Haitian empirical medicine sprang from both European (16th to 19th century) and African (especially voodoo) traditional therapies. The Ethnobiology and Ethnopharmacy of Migrations. Ethnopharmacological themes in sub-Saharan art objects and utensils. Camagey, La Habana). More emphasis is given, though to its calming and sedative effects than its purifying. Edited by: Pieroni A, Vandebroek I. [15] and in other studies about traditional Cuban medicine [18, 42], their use among Cubans is not as widespread or as differentiated as among Haitian descendants. Traditional and ritual plant posology should be investigated in more depth in ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies in order to understand their relation with medicinal plant efficacy and toxicity. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. DG, AB, and AB performed botanical analysis and species identification. Information was obtained from semi-structured interviews with Haitian immigrants and their descendants, direct observations, and by reviewing reports of traditional Haitian medicine in the literature. The research project has been funded by a grant to Gabriele Volpato from the CERES Programme for Innovative PhD Research at Wageningen University (CEPIP-W). The sour . Cabrera L: El Monte. a Part(s) used: ap, aerial part; ba, bark; bu: bulb; ep, fruit epicarp; fl, flowers; fr, fruits; ft, flowering tops; la, latex; le, leaves; ls, leaf stalks; re, resin; rh, rhizome; ro, root/tuber; se, seeds; sg, stigma; sh, shoots; st, stems; uf, unripe fruits; wh, young whorls; wo, wood; wp, whole plant. 1997, Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH. It is named in honor of its discover, Quassia the Surinam slave. 2007, Oxford: Berghahn, 245-269. 2009, 37 (1): 43-53. Nowadays Haitians are mostly integrated into mainstream Cuban society, although many of them maintain a small-scale farming and livestock production as a base for their livelihoods. In this article we have presented the medicinal plants' knowledge of Haitians in Cuba as it is today, approximately 80 years after migration. I was fortunate to have three solid sources of information on herbs in Haiti: Laguerre's Afro-Caribbean Folk Medicine, Colon's Traditional Use of Medicinal Plants in the Province of Pedernales, Santo Domingo, and Jordan's Voodoo Medicine.