Recently, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my ancestry through the practice of medicinal ethnobotany. For me, reconnecting to the plants of my ancestry is a very grounding and nurturing process. I am a second generation Boricua and because of this assimilation to American culture had been well established. My parents were both bilinguals but decided not to teach my sisters and I Spanish. Nor did they have any connection or knowing of the indigenous Taino tongue. In my efforts to teach myself centuries of lost language, culture and spirituality, the plant world has been my biggest supporter. The plants I will be going over today will be: Recao, Aji dulce, panapen and quenepas.
Hierbas y Frutas de Boriken
Firstly, recao is what Puerto Ricans commonly use when making sofrito. The medicinal ethnobotany of Recao is found in alleviating high blood pressure, diabetes (low blood sugar), menstrual cramps and supporting menstrual regulation (“Earth and Spirit”, Benedetti, M.). For making your own sofrito, the ingredients included Onion, Garlic, Salt, Recao, Cilantro, Bell Peppers, and Aji Dulce. Start equal parts and add according to flavor profile. I like heavy garlic and onion: also very good for high blood pressure. Other names for recao are: broadleaf cilantro, Caribbean cilantro, culantro, etc.
Following, aji dulce is a pungent fruit that can be used in numerous medicinal applications. It is categorized as anti-asthmatic, antiseptic, diaphoretic, digestive, febrifuge and as a tonic. It can be used during fevers to warm you up when you’re feeling cold. As well as for those with varicose veins. Thus, making sofrito a pretty powerful and flavorful concoction. Other names for aji dulce are: aji cachucha, quechucha, ajicito, bonnet pepper and habanero pepper.
“The fruits and seeds are good sources of carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, fatty acids, pro-vitamin A, potassium, and calcium with significant amounts of ascorbic acid, niacin, and iron” (Beneficial uses of Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis): Nutritional, Medicinal and Other Uses: N. Badrie, J. Broomes).
Next, let’s go over panapen. It actually originates in the Philippines, New Guinea and Maluku islands. It was brought to the Caribbean through European colonizers. Panapen contains some flavonoids that prove to be supportive of anti-inflammatory actions and inhibit mast cancer cells. Breadfruit is a major source of healthy and gluten-free carbohydrates for those who are gluten intolerant. Other names for papapen include: pana, arbol de pan, mapen, and breadfruit.
Lastly, quenepas! It is one of my favorite fruits. They are pretty hard to come by and you can only really enjoy them during the summer months starting in June. The quenepa has many health benefits. It is a source of vitamins A, B, and C, calcium, fiber, iron and the amino acid tryptophan. Though do be careful when eating these as the seeds are large and can cause choking.
The Importance of Ethnobotany
Certainly, being able to explore these treasures of the Caribbean had made my Father’s Day the best one in a long time. In honor of my passed on father, I’ll continue to connect to our roots. In the process teaching us both the way of the ancients and the great abuelos. My dad was one of the most amazing cooks of my life. Every dish he made was full of love! It is something that fills my heart and breaks it all the same. I wish I could’ve shared his beautiful spirit with the loved ones in my life currently. In a way, he is still challenging me to do so through the part of him that lives on within me. Moments like these inspire me to be the ethnobotanist of my dreams in the future. There is so much beauty in sharing the cultural implications of various plants.
In this act of cultural preservation and accounting, may my dad be able to experience Puerto Rico and our Taino ancestors together with me. May it heal the disassociation that colonization has caused. To this ode of love, I pray prosperity to la Isla de Boriken. I pray healing to the island and look forward to the day I can write to you all about my experiences there.
