Is TheOalyN*o, %dday,FebuepuAlW


isiana Lie


Lost skills of herbalist hurt cooking and cures


Last week, I talked about the
new medicinal book breaking
ground for the Univesity of the -- i-
Virgin idds CooperamivtB f- Davis
sion Service on docm ttling the Celn live were
historical and cultural uses of respected for their
medicinal plants in the Virgin k
isand& Or F gro gan -p knowledge, use of herbs
onts knew the trdilional uses of to cure Illnisa or to
medicinal plants o cure illness moi pcti. oal
which wae odeddownomn eir The bosweet bu isused in destroy their enamles.
greatil-grdpares tossed salhds, mean, soups, stews,
Cooking was also a trademark fish sauoc lamb, losee, sy ei l DeeW D s
for slaves in he Virh Islands a nd su, and oter dis Yet, this
through the Caribbean region, b .also used s tomach
May d l he a we Sweet major w another lowly plant. The name Minthe
used fr dealing the sk were also in baked rs changed to Metha to become e
usdfofish sou, vgc k seps, meat Pon came of the herb mintL Mint
Thebhts and sitces wim main. s, beef, po, lamb, gris, was ued lo differ st lihss It is
ly used t add flavor to o Back soups, ch e dishes and ued for eadach, indigetion,
then, slaves hd no choice but to crm sauc This pant was ah gas, heariuts, and o help people
use herbs that grew naturally is ised medicinally to ieve cog- to sleep bouttr. Mio is also used in
tour new Casibbes iionmet ion in the chest, khed colds, and bathwlam otnfgeane
Cetain slaves were espected laiego livobesractis Hot miot tea with warn milk
for their knowledge of mtgic uso Mint or poppomst can be d blated with fesh or dried peopper
of herbs to cae flS ns lo dto de ice I t, chocolate desserts, miu lives said to alm an upset
their coa ie ch oolate frostia, ae ace, can- stomach of relieve muscle spisa
fItwasblicved ltit the obeal die caks, pe s potatoes, peu., n1ckASmremdasacnps.
wmeormba of men as tteym fan iljBud csam smageforem l Bay Ilforbtyamn, s s called
called M uld caidmmicate with h lmb. loadly, is used In vegetable meps,
spirits of the dud and living to A Greek talk had it that wh Ieea I, fish soup, tomato anus and
solve problems fordavwhovisit- Plutows in lovewith tbeauiful juiabeef and chicken ws, limb,
ad them. Medicinal plants were nymph Mitl, Prphone found ou pol mAt, ice orea, baked goods,
ofa used in cooking or drinking odwasjealou. aucdinawesudreuls
and also used in some of the are- Th1e she changed Mitheinto a Oil made from the leaves was


the main ia ediats for bay u Sa polane so m pitng
skin lotion, perfume, and soup. plat kitg nows along o coastal
From the late 1800's to ITh erly s lnrelsisao i herb ic
19W bs,ay um wm najom a ina be ni in salad or steamed with
try nS Joh.Tm. onsa ative vegetable. In th Virgin Islands,
to the gif lands patiaolalyon the hotb has been eatln taw or
the island of St. John when it cooked a pot herb tad used in
grows abundantly wild in the ala"o.
mountain fort Medicinally. buy Medicinally the plant has bat
tmeleaf ii sed for uet stomach. tieal m t a s or prickly eat
coldn.sfnver, frefhing and ass on ski.Also, t phutlw usedas
redai5slni a bliod clnaowe, back pain, and
Rtosemary, anothi herb, was liveraigestion.
used is dishes. Its uses in meat Paplolo a buy snla is sed in
dishes, fish, pork, chicken, as, ie popularnkolleo local soup wilh
soups, poultry stuffing, crmcd fish, vegetbles, on meal and spis.
sames ma lamb, vlduck, bi k Thisn mdicinal plant is used to tea
cults, potatoes, geesn peas, solvea, co, bleddet troubles, and
aliflowre and the local maubi ventural disuse. Maubi balk is
drink. This heib is lsa used for weg bmow for hisdriuk.
nerivows aio had a. With-my parents, mnubt was
Prickly pear is used as food. It drank every Sunday as we ate
can be calon with rice or tried. geter The maai plant is used Io
Odhn Caibbean isla used prick- ltreat somacbache. dinbeles, fish
ly pear as a substitute for okna poisoning, fever and gum ulcers.
foagi. The young tender sm The fut of soam medicinal hebs
prickly puts ae sed by call in tee islandIs is nclan due to
th aaplm piamlde amisg the npid devnlopmontothso th Ovi
dami with om dal ilato(g. Of mmelntSomaonyofstalthwops
cour, the prickles ar taken outl in i for sande, modidiWl bebs
bforethe funglismeadc arjuosoncofthet.
Prickly pr is als used to wsh Oluas D ., who he a mn
your hair, for inflamed eyes, and scixa degre ain raamgeU -
drnk as a cooking for high blood m ondfey tola is a St
porsure. Croirecologit aia an iterf.