Hey all -
I'm looking for a thorough and well written book on hawaiian/polynesian ethnobotany for a good friend, do you have any suggestions?
Thanks & blessings, Peter
I hope yu found it..No one replied.. Well, i should know haven been here in Hawaii, but, i mostly just enjoy a few wild plants here that i know, like Noni, Mamake, Leafy hibiscus, Noni,..
Yeah I found some interesting stuff online, none of which is a real plant-by-plant guide to those used in Polynesian medicine, but Dennis McKenna and the Kona Kava farm have some good publications, since they produce a lot of the medicinal plants found today in the region such as Hawai'ian Baby woodrose and kava kava.. well those aren't strictly medicinal but oh well!!
The university of Hawaii has an ethnobotany degree program. If you are seriously interested you should contact the university. There is usually reference books used in the class room. If not, you can probably email the teacher. When I teach the Aromatherapy and Medical Botany class at Ventura College I usually use my own notes. Many of the plants medicinal and edible information is from several sources as well as my own research, not just one book. If you find a book for Hawaiian historical plant use, please let me know, I would be very interested in reviewing it too. GOOD LUCK!!
Sincerely
Ancient Aromatics
I'm sure that the museum dedicated to the Norwegian author and explorer Thor Heyerdahl would have some wonderful and very specific information, or at least leads. He was an explorer of the Polynesian Islands in the Marquesas group, as well as Easter Island. But I hadn't thought of this until now. We'll see what happens!
