UBC first aid kit

From NarratingLandscapes

by: user:Heather

Project Proposal for ANTH 462

(If anyone has any ideas of different plants to use and where they might be found, I'd appreciate it!)

I would like to map out where certain plants are around the University of British Columbia campus that could be used similarly to different treatments that would be found in a first aid kit. While I’m trying to find the plants I’ll pay attention to the process of locating the plant and if my relationship to the campus changes, or how the specific plants stay in my memory. After I’ve found the plants I will interview a couple of friends about their connections to the UBC land and plants on it focusing on how they feel about the ornamental gardens on the campus and if more of the plants were usable, would it change their relationship with the UBC land, or would they not want to use any plants on UBC land? Also, if they have a connection to UBC land and plants, is it because it’s nice to look at, is it spiritual, is it because of memories?

Then I will walk to where the different plants are on the UBC campus with the friends I just interviewed and we’ll take the parts of the plants that we need to use and I’ll show them how to use the plants for different treatments. While we’re harvesting the plants I’ll record how we feel about taking different parts of the plant. For example if we used Salal all we would need are a few leaves, but if we used skunk cabbage the roots are the useful part so we would be killing the plant for our use. If one of the people I’m interviewing doesn’t have a connection with the UBC land or plants, how would they feel about taking a plant and not replacing it? What is our relationship to the plant before and after we have harvested it? After we make and try the different treatments I’ll ask what they’re feelings are about buying a pill versus finding a plant to use where they live (or go to school) instead.

A few days after the friends I’ve interviewed have harvested, processed and used the plants I’ll ask them how the plants have stayed in their memory. Also, what are their feelings for the plants they used now, do they look out for it? Do they feel protective of it? Indifferent?

I will explore the ethics of suggesting that the plants we use can be used as a treatment for certain conditions. I will also look at the ethics of posting this information on the wiki.

The plants I’m thinking of using are:

-Salal – as a pain reliever for burns, scrapes & bites

-Sweet fern – for diarrhea and intestinal cramps

-Yarrow – for toothache

-Cleaver – for bladder infection

-Labrador Tea – for hangovers

-Western Red-cedar– for athletes foot

For each of the plants I use I will research the history of their uses and who the knowledge of their uses comes from.

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