Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

Overview of the discipline of ethnobotany. The authors seek to demonstrate that plants have played a major role in determining the trajectories of modern culture, that the wisdom of indigenous peoples can provide insight into the human condition and that conservation of plant biodiversity and indigenous plant lore is in the interest of the world community. Chapters on use of plants for medicine, food, as the basis for material culture, hallucinogens. Section on biological conservation. Among case study examples used are New Zealand flax (pp.127-128), waka huia (pp.141-143), the Polynesian discovery of New Zealand (pp.109-111), kūmara (pp.111-113), gourd and kelp containers (p.114), Te Rehua ethnobotany hui (p.183).