Concept featured in film:Ethnobotany

DVD: Chapter 22

Play Flickclip Here (Quicktime)

Summary of clip: Ripkuna has been infected by the agent carried by the Tse Tse flies causing him to swell immensely which has made it difficult for him to breathe.  Xan found a village that could possibly help them.  The medicine woman uses local plant material to make a salve that covers Ripkuna’s face and solidifies into a cast of the material.  The botanical material does it’s job relieving Ripkuna of the swelling that is causing him trouble.       

Connection of flickclip to the concept: Ethnobotany is the study of the relationship between people and plants.  People, especially cultures that live very closely with nature, use plants for many different reasons; food, medicine, shelter, fuel, art and more. The African woman that is represented in this clip is using the plant material as a medicine.

1. Suggested questions for students when viewing the clip:

a. In what ways do humans use plants?

b. How did the woman use plants to help Ripkuna?      

c. How do you use plants on a daily basis?

 

2. Have the students keep a journal for a week keeping record of what plants they have used and for what.  It should take some research to see what the products they use have as ingredients.  They could also include something that is not a plant product that could be replaced by a plant product, i.e. my face soap is all chemicals but there is one at the store that includes botanical ingredients…

 

3. Have the students research an ethnobotanist and give a report on the scientist portraying what peoples he/she studied and in what country and the plants and their uses he/she found.

 

4.  Have the students research a type of plant and the resources it provides to humans.