Ancient Pathways, Ancestral Knowledge

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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