Iwgara: American Indian Ethnobotanical Traditions and Science, Hardcover

Iw gara, when translated, means the kinship of plants and people. And that is exactly what Enrique Salm n explores in this important book. Iw gara shares culturally specific information about 80 plants, addressing their historical and modern-day uses as medicine, food, spices, and more. Iw gara includes plants entries derived from many different American Indian tribes and seven geographic regions across the United States. Each plant entry includes the names commonly used by different tribes, a color photograph, a short description, rich details about how the plant is used, and tips on identification and ethical harvest. Traditional stories and myths, along with images of the plants from different forms of Native American arts and crafts, enrich the text.

Enrique Salm n is head of the American Indian Studies Program at Cal State University-East Bay, in Hayward, California. He has published many articles on indigenous ethnobotany, agriculture, nutrition, and traditional ecological knowledge.