Keep walking, Koun Khmer.
As Neang Neak’s father, the Naga king, drank away the ocean to honor Neang Neak and Preah Tong’s communion, an initial oceanic landscape, revealed land to be inhabited, becoming Cambodia.
The water displaced returns as it trickles silt, sand, and memory, binding into a shoreline. Here is where the orange mangrove takes root, holding ground.
When people speak of Cambodia, it is often mentioned in reference to the genocide of the 1970s, where a tyrant executed all of those whom he deemed to be educated, whittling the blooming society of 8 million down to 6, and willed the survivors into an agrarian culture. We are not here to talk about that.
We are here to talk about how, despite this tragedy, fishing and farming culture persists, regardless of a past ruler’s corrupt priorities. To talk on how the mangrove forest support mud fishing, forming the mudflats, the quiet shallow zones where the Khmer understand the flood cycles, how to read tides, the fish behavior, and the timing. To talk on how the mangrove supports the culture of the Khmer, fresh fish, dried fish, and prahok being core meals. To talk on the beauty of the dragon fruit, symbolizing the matriarch Neang Neak, and how it is cherished and consumed, and dyes your lips pink. How these plants sustain and continue a culture, in spite of past atrocities. On how the Khmer decide to continue, despite a long, burdened history.
ដើមកោងកាង
"daem kaong kaang"
Orange Mangrove
Plant Identification
Indigenous Plant Name: kaong kaang, proh tirk, - Khmer vernacular names vary regionally; often descriptive of water/forest conditions rather than fixed species labels
Language: Khmer
Region: Southeast Asia, Micronesia, and West Coast of Africa
Significant Communities: Coast Khmer communities, fishing villages, estuarine and delta populations (4)
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Bruguiera gymnorhiza
Colonial Plant Common Name: Orange Mangrove
Named by: Jean-Baptiste Lamarck & Jean Louis Marie Poiret (5)
Date: 1798
What it references: Greek derivations, “Gymno” being naked and rhiza being “root”, referring to the exposed knee roots that emerge from the ground—being “naked roots”
Implication of colonial name: The naming prioritizes the visual aspects rather than relational knowledge of what the abilities of the mangrove do.
Erased knowledge systems: Khmer and other Indigenous understandings frame mangroves not as isolated species but as part of tidal systems—linked to fish cycles, soil formation, and community survival. (4)
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing: N/A
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation: Mangrove regions across Southeast Asia and Africa were historically entangled in colonial extraction—timber harvesting, coastal restructuring, and later aquaculture (shrimp farming). (4)
How and when did name enter public use: European botanical circulation in the late 18th–19th centuries, embedded in colonial scientific network (5)
How continued use perpetuates harm: Through maintaining a system where plants are known through external classification rather than lived relationships, sustaining a hierarchy of knowledge.
Native range and habitat: Intertidal zones, estuaries, and costal floodplains (3)
Ecological roles: The mangrove stabilizes coastlines through trapping sediment, creating mudflats and shallow zones creating a opportunity for the fishing economy. It also provides nursery habitats for fish, crabs, and mollusks, and filters water and cycles nutrients. (2)
Biological description: A medium to large mangrove tree with buttressed trunks and distinctive “knee roots” that emerge from the mud. Produces elongated propagules (viviparous seedlings) that drop and embed into soft sediment, allowing the plant to retain unstable ground. (3)
Ecological Profile
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance: It s embedded within fishing and coastal life, being able to support mud fishing, crab harvesting, and shoreline stability.
Spiritual or cosmological meaning: Indirectly linked to water cosmologies and naga symbolism, where land and water are in conversation.
Traditional stewardship practices: Selective harvesting rather than clearing, maintain the root systems to preserve fish habitats, and working with tidal rhythms rather than against. (2)
Uses
Medicinal: Bark and leaves used in some regions for treating diarrhea, burns, and infections, being tannin-rich.
Culinary or nutritional: Not a primary source of food but supports fisheries that are central to Khmer diets.
Cultural practice: Supports mud fishing, trapping, and seasonal harvesting practices tied to community knowledge.
Apparel or décor: N/A
Human and Non-Human Relationships
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species: Mangroves create a shared ground—fish breed in their roots, crabs burrow in the mud, and humans enter during low tide to harvest. The plant structures an entire multi-species economy.
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships: The mangrove is a threshold, producing conditions for interactions between the fish, people, crabs, pollinators, negotiating land and water, salt and fresh, and stability vs. movement.
Sources
-
Bernard Dupont, F. (n.d.). Bruguiera gymnorhiza Large-Leafed Orange Mangrove, Oriental Mangrove. Reeflex. https://reeflex.net/tiere/14601_Bruguiera_gymnorrhiza.htm#
-
Jane, M. (n.d.). Orange mangrove - a fascinating life cycle. https://marysejansenart.earth/orange-mangrove-a-fascinating-life-cycle/
-
Bruguiera Gymnorhiza. Large-Leafed Orange Mangrove. (n.d.). http://www.mangrove.at/bruguiera-gymnorhiza_large_leafed-orange-mangrove.html
-
The Mangrove Alliance. (n.d.). https://www.mangrovealliance.org/
-
Bruguiera Gymnorhiza (L.) lam. ex savigny: Plants of the World Online: Kew Science. Plants of the World Online. (n.d.). https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:719532-1
ស្រការនាគ
"srakâ neak"
Dragonfruit
Plant Identification
Indigenous Plant Name: Khmer: Sra ka neak (vernacular; refers to “dragon scale,” though naming varies regionally)
Language: Khmer
Region: Native to Central America; widely cultivated across Southeast Asia, including Cambodia
Significant Communities: Cambodian farmers, small-scale agricultural producers, and export economies (3)
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Hylocereus undatus
Colonial Plant Common Name: Dragonfruit / Pitaya
Named by: Carl Linnaeus (genus later refined by subsequent botanists) (4)
Date: 18th century classification
What it references:
The term “dragon” refers to the fruit’s scaled skin, drawing from mythological imagery rather than Indigenous naming systems.
Implication of colonial name:
The naming aestheticizes the plant, prioritizing appearance and exoticism over ecological function or cultural relationships.
Erased knowledge systems:
Original relationships to the plant in Central America—as part of dryland ecosystems and subsistence practices—are largely displaced by its identity as a global commodity crop. (3)
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing: N/A
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation:
The global spread of dragon fruit reflects broader agricultural extraction systems, where crops are relocated and cultivated for export markets, often prioritizing yield over ecological balance. (3)
How and when did name enter public use:
Through colonial botanical classification and later global agricultural trade networks. (4)
How continued use perpetuates harm:
Reinforces a system where plants are detached from origin and recontextualized primarily as commodities.
Ecological Profile
Native range and habitat: Dry tropical forests; cultivated in warm, semi-arid to tropical climates (1)
Ecological roles:
Supports pollinators such as bats and moths; adapted to low-water environments (1)
Biological description:
A climbing cactus with aerial roots, producing large nocturnal flowers and fleshy fruit; often trained on vertical supports in cultivation (2)
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance:
In Cambodia, it functions less as a traditional plant and more as a contemporary agricultural and visual presence.
Spiritual or cosmological meaning:
Visually echoes naga imagery through its scaled exterior, though not directly embedded in traditional cosmology.
Traditional stewardship practices:
Small-scale cultivation integrated into mixed farming systems; increasingly replaced by monocropping in commercial production (3)
Uses
Medicinal: Contains antioxidants and vitamins
Culinary or nutritional: Consumed fresh, in juices, and desserts
Cultural practice: Shared in markets and domestic settings
Apparel or décor: N/A
Human and Non-Human Relationships
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species:
Pollinated by nocturnal species, linking night ecologies to agricultural production
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships:
Bridges dryland ecology and human cultivation, though increasingly shaped by market demands
Sources
-
(1) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (n.d.). Dragon fruit cultivation and production. https://www.fao.org
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(2) CABI. (n.d.). Hylocereus undatus (dragon fruit). https://www.cabi.org
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(3) World Bank. (n.d.). Cambodia agriculture and agribusiness report. https://www.worldbank.org
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(4) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Hylocereus undatus. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
ក្រវាញខ្ចី
"krâvănh khchəy"
Plant Identification
Green Cardamom
Indigenous Plant Name: Khmer: Kradamom
Language: Khmer
Region: South and Southeast Asia
Significant Communities: Forest communities within the Cardamom Mountains and surrounding regions (3)
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Elettaria cardamomum
Colonial Plant Common Name: Green Cardamom
Named by: Carl Linnaeus (4)
Date: 1753
What it references:
The name is derived from Latinized Greek terminology, standardizing the plant within Western botanical classification systems rather than reflecting local naming traditions.
Implication of colonial name:
The classification isolates the plant as a discrete species and commodity, removing it from its ecological and cultural embeddedness within forest systems.
Erased knowledge systems:
Indigenous relationships to cardamom as part of forest ecologies—harvested within shaded, biodiverse environments—are overshadowed by its role as a global spice commodity. (3)
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing: N/A
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation:
Cardamom became integrated into colonial spice trade networks, where extraction prioritized export value over local ecological stewardship and knowledge systems. (3)
How and when did name enter public use:
Through 18th-century European botanical classification and expanding global trade systems. (4)
How continued use perpetuates harm:
Maintains a framework where the plant is primarily understood through economic and taxonomic value rather than its role within forest ecosystems and community practices
Ecological Profile
Native range and habitat: Tropical forest understories with high humidity, shade, and consistent rainfall (1)
Ecological roles:
Supports forest biodiversity and thrives within intact canopy systems, contributing to layered ecological structures (1)
Biological description:
A perennial herbaceous plant with leafy shoots arising from rhizomes, producing small aromatic seed pods; requires shaded conditions and stable moisture levels (2)
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance:
Embedded in local foodways and everyday culinary practices across South and Southeast Asia
Spiritual or cosmological meaning:
Not typically symbolic, but connected to sensory practices of taste, smell, and hospitality
Traditional stewardship practices:
Harvested within forest systems in ways that maintain canopy cover and ecological balance, often integrated into agroforestry practices (3)
Uses
Medicinal: Used traditionally for digestive issues, respiratory health, and anti-inflammatory properties
Culinary or nutritional: Widely used as a spice in cooking, teas, and desserts
Cultural practice: Associated with hospitality and shared meals
Apparel or décor: N/A
Human and Non-Human Relationships
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species:
Cultivated within forest ecologies, linking human agricultural practices with biodiversity and habitat preservation
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships:
Functions within shaded ecosystems that support insects, soil organisms, and plant diversity, reinforcing interdependence between cultivation and forest health
Sources
-
(1) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (n.d.). Cardamom cultivation and ecology. https://www.fao.org
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(2) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Elettaria cardamomum. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
-
(3) World Wildlife Fund. (n.d.). Cardamom Mountains landscape and biodiversity. https://www.worldwildlife.org
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(4) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Taxonomic records for Elettaria cardamomum. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
ផ្កាចម្ប៉ា
"phka champa"
Champa
Plant Identification
Indigenous Plant Name: Khmer: Champa
Language: Khmer
Region: South and Southeast Asia
Significant Communities: Khmer communities, temple landscapes, and domestic gardens (2)
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Michelia Alba
Colonial Plant Common Name: White Champaca
Named by: Linnaeus
Date: 17th century classification
What it references: Michelia being after Florentine botanist Pietro Antonio Micheli who “founded” mycology. Alca being latin derivation of Albus, or white.
Implication of colonial name:
The naming centers European figures and sensory associations, displacing local naming systems and cultural meanings tied to the plant.
Erased knowledge systems:
In Khmer contexts, champa is embedded in ritual, memory, and everyday life—meanings that are not carried through its Latin or European common names. (2)
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing: N/A
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation:
While not directly tied to extractive industries, its circulation through colonial botanical networks contributed to its reclassification and global redistribution as an ornamental species. (3)
How and when did name enter public use:
Through 17th–18th century European botanical exploration and classification systems. (4)
How continued use perpetuates harm:
Maintains a naming system that prioritizes European attribution over local cultural and spiritual relationships.
Ecological Profile
Native range and habitat: Tropical and subtropical regions; thrives in warm climates with well-drained soil (1)
Ecological roles:
Supports pollinators such as moths and insects, though often cultivated ornamentally (1)
Biological description:
A small deciduous tree with thick, succulent branches and highly fragrant flowers; drought-tolerant and easily propagated through cuttings (1)
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance:
Widely used in Cambodian daily life and temple offerings, often associated with memory, presence, and care
Spiritual or cosmological meaning:
Commonly planted near temples and sacred spaces, associated with calmness and continuity
Traditional stewardship practices:
Cultivated in domestic and communal spaces, often maintained through simple propagation methods like cuttings
Uses
Medicinal: Used in traditional remedies for skin conditions and inflammation
Culinary or nutritional: N/A
Cultural practice: Used in offerings, ceremonies, and as adornment
Apparel or décor: Worn in hair, used in garlands and decoration
Human and Non-Human Relationships
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species:
Interacts primarily through human cultivation, sensory experience (scent), and ritual use
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships:
Attracts pollinators while also structuring human interaction through ritual and sensory engagement
Sources
-
(1) Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Plumeria. Plant Finder. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org
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(2) UNESCO. (n.d.). Cultural landscapes and intangible heritage. https://www.unesco.org
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(3) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Plumeria. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
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(4) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). History of plant taxonomy. https://www.kew.org
រំដួល
"rômduəl"
Romdoul
Indigenous Plant Name: Romdoul
Language: Khmer
Region: Cambodia and parts of Southeast Asia
Significant Communities: Khmer communities; widely recognized as a national cultural symbol (2)
Plant Identification
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Sphaerocoryne lefevrei
Colonial Plant Common Name: Rumdul / Romdoul
Named by: Joseph Dalton Hooker & Thomas Thomson (4)
Date: 1865
What it references: Sphaerocoryne is a Greek derivation, “Sphaera” being sphere, and “koryne” being club, alluding to the spherical club shaped structure of the flowers. Lefevrei being a French plant collector, Emile Lefevre, who gathered the specimen in south Vietnam in 1865
Implication of colonial name:
The plant is categorized through morphology, detaching it from its role as a national and cultural symbol within Cambodia.
Erased knowledge systems:
Romdoul’s significance as a marker of identity, memory, and everyday life in Khmer culture is not reflected in its scientific classification. (2)
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing: N/A
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation:
While not heavily extracted as a commodity, its classification within colonial botanical systems reflects broader patterns of knowledge extraction and reclassification. (3)
How and when did name enter public use:
Through 19th-century European botanical documentation and classification. (4)
How continued use perpetuates harm:
Sustains a framework where local cultural meaning is secondary to scientific naming conventions.
Native range and habitat: Tropical forests and lowland regions of Southeast Asia (1)
Ecological roles:
Supports local biodiversity and contributes to forest understory structure (1)
Biological description:
A small evergreen tree with highly fragrant yellow flowers that bloom in clusters; thrives in warm, humid climates (1)
Ecological Profile
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance:
Recognized as Cambodia’s national flower, symbolizing beauty, identity, and continuity
Spiritual or cosmological meaning:
Associated with grace and presence; often referenced in poetry, song, and cultural expression
Traditional stewardship practices:
Cultivated in domestic and communal spaces; valued for fragrance and aesthetic presence
Uses
Medicinal: Limited documented use
Culinary or nutritional: N/A
Cultural practice: Used in decoration, ceremonies, and as a national symbol
Apparel or décor: Worn in hair, used ornamentally
Human and Non-Human Relationships
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species:
Engages primarily through sensory experience—fragrance, presence, and visual identity
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships:
Attracts pollinators while also shaping human cultural expression and memory
Sources
-
(1) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Sphaerocoryne affinis. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
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(2) Royal Government of Cambodia. (n.d.). National symbols of Cambodia. https://www.cambodia.gov.kh
-
(3) UNESCO. (n.d.). Cultural heritage and intangible practices. https://www.unesco.org
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(4) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Taxonomic history of Sphaerocoryne affinis. https://www.kew.org
Wokas
Yellow Pond Lily
Plant Identification
Indigenous Plant Name: Wokas
Language: Klamath
Region: Western North America, particularly the Klamath Basin (Oregon, USA)
Significant Communities: Klamath Tribes and other Indigenous communities of the Klamath Basin (2)
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Nuphar polysepala
Colonial Plant Common Name: Yellow Pond Lily/ Spatterdock
Named by: George Engelmann
Date: 1866
What it references: Nuphar being derived from the Persian word Nufar, or the Hebrew name Nufar, which meant “lotus flower” or “water lily” Polysepala being “many sepals”, sepals being the green parts that cover the bud
Implication of colonial name:
The naming reduces the plant to a visual and taxonomic object, overlooking its role as a primary food source and cultural anchor.
Erased knowledge systems:
For the Klamath people, wokas is not simply a plant but part of a seasonal cycle of harvesting, processing, and communal life—knowledge not reflected in its scientific naming. (2)
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing: N/A
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation:
Colonial settlement and land seizure disrupted access to wetlands where wokas grows, limiting Indigenous harvesting practices and altering ecosystems. (2)
How and when did name enter public use:
Through 19th-century botanical classification and U.S. scientific documentation. (4)
How continued use perpetuates harm:
Maintains a system where Indigenous food systems are reframed as ecological objects rather than living cultural practices.
Colonial Violence and Naming
Ecological Profile
Native range and habitat: Freshwater lakes, ponds, and slow-moving wetlands (1)
Ecological roles:
Provides habitat for aquatic species, stabilizes sediment, and supports wetland ecosystems (1)
Biological description:
An aquatic perennial with floating leaves and bright yellow flowers; produces seeds harvested as a staple food source (1)
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance:
A staple food for the Klamath people, central to diet, economy, and seasonal cycles
Spiritual or cosmological meaning:
Connected to water systems and cycles of renewal; embedded in cultural practices of respect and reciprocity
Traditional stewardship practices:
Harvested seasonally by hand, with careful management to ensure regeneration and long-term sustainability (2)
Uses
Medicinal: Limited documented use
Culinary or nutritional: Seeds ground into flour or eaten as a staple food
Cultural practice: Central to seasonal harvesting traditions and communal labor
Apparel or décor: N/A
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species:
Fish, birds, and aquatic organisms rely on the plant, while humans harvest its seeds—forming a shared wetland system
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships:
Acts as a connector within aquatic ecosystems, linking food systems, habitat, and cultural practices
Human and Non-Human Relationships
Sources
-
(1) United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Nuphar polysepala. https://plants.usda.gov
-
(2) Klamath Tribes. (n.d.). Wokas and traditional foods. https://klamathtribes.org
-
(3) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (n.d.). Wetland plants and ecosystems. https://www.fws.gov
-
(4) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Nuphar polysepala. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
Wiingaashk
Sweetgrass
Indigenous Plant Name: Anishinaabemowin: wiingaashk
Language: Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe)
Region: North America (Great Lakes region, northern plains, and boreal edges)
Significant Communities: Anishinaabe peoples, Cree, and other Plains and Woodland nations (2)
Plant Identification
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Hierochloe odorata (also classified as Anthoxanthum nitens)
Colonial Plant Common Name: Sweetgrass
Named by: Carl Linnaeus (4)
Date: 18th century classification
What it references:
The scientific naming references Greek-derived botanical structure (“holy grass”), emphasizing classification over relational or ceremonial meaning.
Implication of colonial name:
The naming system reframes a sacred plant as an aromatic species, detaching it from its role in ceremony and governance within Indigenous communities.
Erased knowledge systems:
In Anishinaabe and other Indigenous worldviews, sweetgrass is understood as a relational being tied to responsibility, offering, and ethical presence—not simply a plant with fragrance. (2)
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing: N/A
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation:
Colonial land appropriation and habitat disruption reduced access to harvesting grounds, while commercialization transformed a ceremonial plant into a market commodity in some regions. (3)
How and when did name enter public use:
Through European botanical classification systems in the 18th century and later ethnobotanical documentation. (4)
How continued use perpetuates harm:
Maintains separation between Indigenous ceremonial knowledge and scientific classification, often stripping the plant of its relational context.
Ecological Profile
Native range and habitat: Moist meadows, prairies, and riverbanks in cool temperate and subarctic regions (1)
Ecological roles:
Stabilizes soil, supports pollinators, and thrives in undisturbed grassland ecosystems (1)
Biological description:
A perennial aromatic grass with sweet-smelling coumarin compounds; grows in dense clumps and prefers moist soils (1)
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance:
One of the four sacred medicines in Anishinaabe tradition, used in ceremony, prayer, and purification
Spiritual or cosmological meaning:
Represents kindness, honesty, and the importance of offering; braided and burned as smoke in ceremonies
Traditional stewardship practices:
Harvested with care and reciprocity—often braided while fresh and dried for ceremonial use, with attention to regeneration of the plant (2)
Uses
Medicinal: Used in teas and infusions for respiratory and digestive support
Culinary or nutritional: N/A (primarily ceremonial)
Cultural practice: Burned as incense, braided and gifted in ceremony
Apparel or décor: Braided strands used in ceremonial bundles
Human and Non-Human Relationships
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species:
Supports pollinators and soil systems while being actively tended through Indigenous harvesting practices
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships:
Acts as a ceremonial mediator between land, people, and spirit within Indigenous knowledge systems
Sources
-
(1) United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Hierochloe odorata. https://plants.usda.gov
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(2) Anishinaabe cultural knowledge systems. (n.d.). Sweetgrass teachings and ceremonial use.
-
(3) The Canadian Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Sweetgrass. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
-
(4) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Hierochloe odorata. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
Wah'tha
Milkweed
Plant Identification
Indigenous Plant Name: Wah’tha
Language: Omaha and other Indigenous languages across North America
Region: North America (prairies, meadows, disturbed soils, and riparian edges)
Significant Communities: Anishinaabe peoples, Haudenosaunee, and many Plains and Woodland nations (2)
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Asclepias syriaca
Colonial Plant Common Name: Milkweed
Named by: Gronovius
Date: 1739
What it references: Asclepias derived from Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine of heading, but translating “to cut open” referring to his birth where Apollo, Greek god of the sun, removed him from his mother’s womb post-mortem. Milkweed” refers to the plant’s latex sap rather than ecological function.
Implication of colonial name:
The naming reduces the plant to a descriptive latex trait and a Western mythological reference, rather than its role in pollinator ecologies and Indigenous land management systems.
Erased knowledge systems:
Indigenous ecological knowledge recognizes milkweed as part of a relational pollinator network, especially tied to monarch butterfly cycles and land stewardship practices that maintain meadow biodiversity. (2)
Colonial Violence and Naming
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing: N/A
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation:
Colonial agriculture and industrial land conversion treated milkweed as a weed, leading to herbicide use and habitat loss across prairie ecosystems, especially during large-scale monocropping expansion. (3)
How and when did name enter public use:
Through European botanical classification in the 18th century and later North American agricultural labeling systems. (4)
How continued use perpetuates harm:
The “weed” framing continues to justify eradication practices that disrupt pollinator lifecycles and Indigenous land relationships.
Ecological Profile
Native range and habitat: Prairies, meadows, roadsides, and disturbed soils across temperate North America (1)
Ecological roles:
Critical host plant for monarch butterflies; supports pollinators and biodiversity in grassland ecosystems (1)
Biological description:
Perennial herb with milky latex sap, opposite leaves, and clusters of pink to white flowers; produces wind-dispersed seeds with silky hairs (1)
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance:
Used in fiber production, medicine, and ecological observation within multiple Indigenous traditions
Spiritual or cosmological meaning:
Often associated with transformation due to its relationship with monarch butterflies and cyclical migration patterns
Traditional stewardship practices:
Maintained through controlled burning and prairie management practices that support pollinator habitats and plant regeneration (2)
Uses
Medicinal: Used in traditional remedies in small, carefully prepared doses
Culinary or nutritional: Not typically consumed due to toxicity without preparation
Cultural practice: Used for fiber, ecological stewardship, and observation of seasonal cycles
Apparel or décor: Fibers historically used for cordage and textiles in some regions
Human and Non-Human Relationships
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species:
Supports monarch butterflies, bees, and other pollinators while interacting with prairie management systems shaped by human stewardship
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships:
Functions as a keystone species linking insect migration, plant succession, and human land care practices
Sources
-
(1) United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Asclepias syriaca. https://plants.usda.gov
-
(2) Anishinaabe ecological knowledge systems. (n.d.). Prairie plant relationships and stewardship.
-
(3) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Pollinator protection and habitat loss. https://www.epa.gov
-
(4) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Asclepias syriaca. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
A Okspii Yi Pisats Sais Ski
Yellow Coneflower
Plant Identification
Indigenous Plant Name: Blackfoot: A Okspii Yi Pisats Sais Ski (transliterated form; spelling varies across linguistic documentation and dialect recordings)
Language: Blackfoot
Region: Eastern and Central North America (prairies, open woods, and meadow systems)
Significant Communities: Blackfoot, Anishinaabe peoples, Haudenosaunee, and Plains nations (2)
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Rudbeckia hirta
Colonial Plant Common Name: Yellow Coneflower, Black Eyed Susan
Named by: Linnaeus
Date: 1753
What it references: Rudbeckia referring to Swedish botanists and professors at Uppsala University, Olof Rudbeck the Elder, and his son Olof Rudbeck the Younger. Hirta being “hairy”
Implication of colonial name:
The naming replaces Indigenous relational and place-based knowledge with European commemorative and aesthetic frameworks, reframing the plant as ornamental rather than culturally embedded.
Erased knowledge systems:
Indigenous ecological knowledge frames this plant as part of meadow systems maintained through seasonal cycles and land stewardship practices such as controlled burning and selective harvesting. (2)
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing:
The common name participates in European aesthetic naming conventions that feminize and romanticize the plant without reflecting Indigenous meanings or uses.
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation:
Colonial land conversion disrupted Indigenous fire stewardship practices that sustained prairie and meadow ecosystems where Rudbeckia hirta grows. (3)
How and when did name enter public use:
Through 18th-century European botanical classification and later English vernacular naming traditions. (4)
How continued use perpetuates harm:
Centers European naming systems while obscuring Indigenous ecological governance of meadow landscapes.
Ecological Profile
Native range and habitat: Open prairies, meadows, and forest edges across eastern and central North America (1)
Ecological roles:
Supports pollinators such as bees and butterflies; contributes to biodiversity in meadow ecosystems (1)
Biological description:
Biennial or short-lived perennial with golden-yellow ray flowers and a dark central cone; blooms in summer and early fall (1)
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance:
Part of meadow ecosystems maintained through Indigenous land stewardship practices, especially fire management and seasonal ecological care
Spiritual or cosmological meaning:
Associated with seasonal change, resilience, and continuity of land-based knowledge systems
Traditional stewardship practices:
Maintained through controlled burning and land management practices that support open meadow biodiversity (2)
Uses
Medicinal: Used in some Indigenous traditions for teas and topical preparations
Culinary or nutritional: N/A
Cultural practice: Included in ecological knowledge systems tied to meadow care and seasonal observation
Apparel or décor: Occasionally used ornamentally in contemporary contexts
Human and Non-Human Relationships
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species:
Supports pollinators while existing within meadow systems shaped by Indigenous fire stewardship
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships:
Functions within prairie ecosystems linking insects, soil systems, grazing animals, and human land care practices
Sources
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(1) United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Rudbeckia hirta. https://plants.usda.gov
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(2) Blackfoot Confederacy. (n.d.). Land stewardship and ecological knowledge systems.
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(3) U.S. National Park Service. (n.d.). Prairie fire ecology and management. https://www.nps.gov
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(4) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Rudbeckia hirta. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
Petahamina
Paw Paw
Plant Identification
Indigenous Plant Name: Shawnee: Petahamina (recorded variation; Indigenous names differ across nations and documentation systems)
Language: Shawnee and other Eastern Woodlands Indigenous languages
Region: Eastern North America (forest understories, river valleys, and riparian woodlands)
Significant Communities: Shawnee Tribe, Cherokee, and other Eastern Woodlands nations (2)
Colonial Taxonomy Analysis
Colonial Plant Botanical Name: Asimina triloba
Colonial Plant Common Name: Paw paw
Named by: Linnaeus (4)
Date: 1753
What it references: Asiminia adapted from Miami-Illinois, the name assimin or rassimin combing the root terms rassi (divided lengthwise into equal parts) and min (Seed, fruit, nut, berry, etc ) through the French derivation of asiminier. Triloba being three lobes.
Implication of colonial name:
While the common name “pawpaw” preserves a partial Indigenous linguistic trace, its botanical classification still re-centers European scientific structuring over Indigenous ecological knowledge systems.
Erased knowledge systems:
Indigenous food systems recognize pawpaw as part of forest subsistence economies—linked to seasonal harvesting, trade routes, and understory ecological management. (2)
Colonial Violence and Naming
Colonial Violence and Naming
Racialized or derogatory language: N/A
Misogynistic or gendered framing: N/A
Enslavement, colonial ownership, and exploitation:
Colonial land dispossession and forest clearing reduced access to pawpaw habitats, disrupting Indigenous food systems and seasonal harvesting practices. (3)
How and when did name enter public use:
Through early European colonization and 18th-century botanical classification systems, with continued vernacular use of Indigenous-derived terminology. (4)
How continued use perpetuates harm:
Even when Indigenous-derived in origin, the plant is often reframed within agricultural and commercial contexts that obscure its role in Indigenous forest economies.
Ecological Profile
Native range and habitat: Rich, moist deciduous forests, often in shaded understories across eastern North America (1)
Ecological roles:
Provides fruit for mammals and insects; contributes to understory forest regeneration and biodiversity (1)
Biological description:
Small deciduous tree producing large, custard-like fruits; flowers are dark maroon and pollinated primarily by flies and beetles (1)
Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Relationships
Cultural significance:
Historically an important seasonal food source within Eastern Woodlands Indigenous food systems
Spiritual or cosmological meaning:
Associated with seasonal abundance and forest reciprocity in some Indigenous teachings
Traditional stewardship practices:
Managed through forest-based harvesting practices, often involving selective gathering and knowledge of ripening cycles (2)
Uses
Medicinal: Bark and seeds used in some traditional preparations (with careful processing)
Culinary or nutritional: Eaten fresh; historically a significant calorie and nutrient source
Cultural practice: Shared harvesting and seasonal food cycles
Apparel or décor: N/A
Human and Non-Human Relationships
How humans, animals, plants, and landscapes interact through this species:
Fruit supports mammals (including raccoons and deer), while humans participate in seasonal forest harvesting
How the plant mediates multi-species relationships:
Functions within shaded forest understories, linking fruiting cycles, animal dispersal, and Indigenous subsistence systems
Sources
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(1) United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Asimina triloba. https://plants.usda.gov
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(2) Shawnee Tribe. (n.d.). Traditional foods and forest ecology.
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(3) U.S. Forest Service. (n.d.). Eastern deciduous forest ecosystems. https://www.fs.usda.gov
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(4) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Asimina triloba. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org
