Ethnobotany
Ties to Alaska's Wild Plants
Ethnobotany Film Series
Ethnographic filmmaker Sarah Betcher has produced a series designed to teach viewers about the many traditional Alaskan indigenous ways of using wild plants for food, medicine, and construction material.»
to Herbarium Curator Stefanie Ickert-Bond (PI) and Sarah Betcher (Co-PI).
Featured Video in honor of Helen Watkins
(11/16/1939 - 2/9/2016)
DEVIL'S CLUB: Tlingit Traditions
Tlingit Elder Helen Watkins takes us through every stage of processing the devil's club plant: making beads, medicinal powder, and infused salves and oils. She also shares the spiritual significance of this powerful plant.
This engaging comprehensive video will enable the viewer to learn the steps it takes to make many products from devil’s club.
ADDITIONAL VIDEOS
WILD CELERY: Iñupiat Traditions
I»upiat Elders share how they have witnessed healing fr om the use of wild celery as a medicine and ways they process the plant for optimal potency.
WILLOW: Iñupiat Traditions
Many I»upiat people gather willow and share about the ways they traditionally harvest and use the willow plant as a delicious, healthy, edible green and as a medicinal product.
SOURDOCK: Iñupiat Traditions
Two I»upiat women demonstrate their traditions of sourdock gathering, cutting, sorting techniques, and different dishes one can make from this nutritious plant.
BARK: Iñupiat Traditions
An I»upiaq women demonstrates how she uses bark as a tanning agent for skins and as a dye to fur while an I»upiaq man talks about his families traditions of using bark.
BERRIES: Iñupiat Traditions
I»upiat Elders take us through the arctic tundra for berry picking while sharing their traditions of gathering, processing, and consuming berries found in the tundra.
WOOD: Iñupiat Traditions
Three I»upiat men speak about their people’s traditions of using wood as construction material as well as showing examples of products made locally from wood.
STINKWEED: Iñupiat Traditions
I»upiat Elders speak about the long list of ways their families have utilized the stinkweed plant as a potent medicinal herb.
TREE GUM Iñupiat Traditions
An I»upiat husband and wife speak about their family’s traditional ways of gathering and using tree gum as a medicinal product.