Land Acknowledgement

The Middle Rio Grande Valley and Indigenous Knowledge

Albuquerque Herbalism gratefully acknowledges this Land as part of the unceded Tiguex province which has been stewarded by the Isleta, Sandia, and Santa Ana Pueblos since time immemorial. We also acknowledge the Indigenous sovereignty of the Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache people over the Rio Grande Valley throughout New Mexico. We recognize that the Albuquerque bosque and its surroundings continue to be protected and managed by the ancestral Tiwa- and Keres- speaking pueblos, and that the Albuquerque metro area is home to an Indigenous population representing 400 plus nations and tribes.

Furthermore, we acknowledge that many of the plants explored through our program are part of this regions’ Indigenous cultural, spiritual, and ecological knowledge. We are committed to increasingly developing and implementing the most respectful and appropriate protocols that disrupt the perpetuation of cultural appropriation and theft of Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge that often occurs within mainstream ethnobotany and herbalism.

We are committed to building and maintaining meaningful relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of this place and holding ourselves accountable to their sovereignty over this land. We invite ongoing feedback, critique, and dialogue on how to improve, refine, and strengthen Albuquerque Herbalism’s protocols to ensure we remain respectful advocates of ethical ethnobotanical and ecological learning and allies to the Indigenous Peoples of this region.

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Building Relationships with Plants

Building Relationships with Plants by Christiana Magdalena Hopkinson How Herbalism Can Be Much More Than Ingesting Plants Plants, herbs, trees, shrubs, and flowers. We grow them, find them, harvest them, and can make good medicine with what they offer us. They feed...

Cacao: The Heart of the Mexica People

Cacao: The Heart of the Mexica People by Candace Quintana There’s something truly magical about cacao. Not the sugary chocolate bars we see everywhere, but the real, earthy, bitter cacao that comes straight from the heart of the land. This sacred plant has been used...

A Very Tasty New Mexican Mushroom

A Very Tasty New Mexican Mushroom by Dr. Marija Helt Gathered under pines, I like to eat white boletes. Free delicious food. Ponderosa pines, is where you’ll find these fungi. Roast for nutty taste. As September’s “Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New Mexico” class...

The Healing Power of Flowers

by Atava Garcia Swiecicki If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace. Thich Nhat HahnFalling in Love with Flower Essences Flower essences were my first love on my...

The Versatile Mulberry

From Ancient Traditions to Modern ‘Invasions’by Jennileen Joseph The mulberry plant, belonging to the genus Morus, stands as a testament to nature's adaptability and human ingenuity. This deciduous tree, with its sweet fruit, has woven itself into the fabric of...

When the Immune System Goes Rogue

When the Immune System Goes Rogue by Dr. Marija Helt Oyster Mushrooms A healthy immune system distinguishes between what’s safe and what’s potentially dangerous, protecting us from the latter. “Safe” stuff includes our own cells, tissues, and substances that the body...

Dreaming with Plants

by Atava Garcia Swiecicki Loss and grief are an inevitable part of being human, and we all will experience both in our lifetimes. Modern westernized culture doesn’t offer many tools to support us when we are facing loss, whether it by death of a loved one, a pet,...

Mushroom Hunting at the Grocery Store

Mushroom Hunting at the Grocery Store by Dr. Marija HeltButton MushroomsNot everyone’s keen on foraging for wild mushrooms. The reluctance may be due to concerns about accurate identification, a lack of time, living in an area where foraging isn’t possible, or some...

Accumulation

by Jennileen Joseph When we wash our hair, we don’t expect the shampoo to do all the work. We know the wash is one part shampoo, one part our effort. Without effort, the shampoo is just a waste, without the shampoo, our efforts are for naught. We understand that we...

Caring for Our Broken Hearts

Herbal Remedies and Practices for Heartbreak and Grief by Atava Garcia Swiecicki Loss and grief are an inevitable part of being human, and we all will experience both in our lifetimes. Modern westernized culture doesn’t offer many tools to support us when we are...