Nancy Turner est une ethnobotaniste dont le travail fait habilement le pont entre les disciplines de la botanique et de l'écologie avec l'anthropologie, la géographie et la linguistique. Elle s'intéresse vivement aux systèmes de connaissances traditionnelles et aux pratiques de gestion des terres et des ressources des peuples autochtones, en se concentrant particulièrement sur l'ouest du Canada. Ses recherches éclairent les liens complexes et profonds entre la culture et le monde naturel. Elle explore comment le savoir traditionnel façonne les perspectives sur l'environnement et sa durabilité.
Reprint of the revision of the 1975 edition. Each plant is illustrated in color with scientific name, family, a botanical description, habitat, distribution and its uses with warnings about similar, injurious, species. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Ethnobotany and Ecological Wisdom of Indigenous Peoples of Northwestern North America
Nancy Turner has dedicated over forty years to studying Indigenous peoples' knowledge of plants and environments in northwestern North America. In this two-volume work, she integrates extensive research, drawing on insights from Indigenous botanical experts, ethnographic records, linguistics, palaeobotany, archaeology, and more. Turner presents a nuanced understanding of how Indigenous inhabitants engaged with their environments, managed plant resources, and maintained habitats that supported their cultures for millennia. She highlights the transmission of knowledge across generations and communities, emphasizing the values and perspectives that shape Indigenous ethnobotanical practices. Volume 1 offers a historical overview of ethnobotanical knowledge before and after European contact, examining how Indigenous peoples utilized plants for nutrition, technology, and medicine. Turner compares over 250 plant species' names across more than fifty Indigenous languages, illustrating the cultural significance of certain plants and the exchange of goods and ideas. She also addresses the impact of introduced species and colonialism on Indigenous ecologies. Volume 2 details the development of Indigenous organizational systems for harvesting and cultivating plants, fostering economic connections across cultures, and managing resources. Turner explores the worldviews that arise from the relationship between people and plants, expressed