Video 05 in the Introduction to Ethnobotany series. Presented by Will McClatchey.
"Myths" or cultural stories often contain truths and historical information. Myths are valid from the perspective of members of the culture regardless of the "validation" status given by scientists. Ethnobotanical myths commonly contain elements of conservation, plant origin/histories, considerations of relative importance of plants to the culture and comments on correct usage and respect for plants. This episode examines some of the ways that plants are incorporated within myths as means of organizing information about everything from observations of natural history to the meaning of life.