Indigenous and folk: spices in ritual
Smudging herbs, ceremonial plants and the spice knowledge of indigenous peoples.
Indigenous peoples around the world have long known, grown and used spices, and many keep ceremonial and food traditions that should be presented in the words of the communities themselves.
Plants of place
Native spices include chilli and vanilla in the Americas, allspice in the Caribbean, mountain pepper and wattleseed in Australia, grains of paradise in West Africa and timur in the Himalaya. Indigenous peoples domesticated chilli and vanilla and kept hundreds of varieties.
Ceremony and use
Plants are used in offerings, in smoke and in feasts. In Mexico, chilli and cacao have long been used in ceremony, and in Australia, native plants are used as food and in cultural practice. Specific uses belong to specific nations and are best learned from them.
Respect and fair trade
As interest in native spices grows, communities ask for fair sourcing and recognition of their knowledge. Buying from Indigenous-owned suppliers, where they exist, helps.
Indigenous and folk on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
馃嚤馃嚢 Sri Lanka and 5 moreCinnamon
The dried inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, prized for its sweet warmth and essential oil.Bark 路 Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 1 moreCommon prickly ash
An aromatic North American tree whose bark and berries give a sharp, numbing biteBark 路 Bitter 路 Numbing and tingling
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 1 moreCalifornian white sage
An aromatic desert shrub whose seeds flavour maize foods and roots make tonic teaSeed 路 Herbal and green 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚨馃嚜 Peru and 1 moreMu帽a
An Andean aromatic herb brewed into tea across Peru and BoliviaLeaf 路 Herbal and green
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 4 moreThyme
The dried leaves of a Mediterranean mint-family herb, used to perfume stews and baths alike.Leaf 路 Earthy and deep 路 Warm and sweet-spiced
馃嚦馃嚞 Nigeria and 1 moreAlligator pepper
The seed pods of West African ginger plants, named for the bumpy texture of their inner kernels.Fruit 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Hot and fiery
馃嚡馃嚨 Japan and 4 moreMugwort鑹捐崏 (脿i c菐o)
Aromatic leaves from the Artemisia genus used in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine.Leaf 路 Bitter 路 Herbal and green
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 2 moreCommon sage
The gray-green leaves of a Mediterranean perennial used in European roasts and traditional remedies.Leaf 路 Herbal and green
馃嚬馃嚪 Turkey and 5 moreBay Laurel未维蠁谓畏
The dried leaf of a Mediterranean evergreen, used to infuse slow-cooked dishes with herbal depth.Sharp and pungent 路 Bitter
馃嚞馃嚦 Guinea and 5 moreGrains of paradise
The pungent, citrus-tinged seeds of a West African ginger relative.Seed 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Hot and fiery
馃嚨馃嚜 Peru and 3 morePink peppercornmulli
The dried pink drupes of the Schinus molle tree, sold as a peppery alternative to black pepper.Fruit 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Citrus and bright
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 5 moreRoselle
The deep red calyx of a hibiscus plant, steeped into a tart drink or cooked as a leafy green.Fruit 路 Sour and tart 路 Citrus and bright
馃嚠馃嚛 Indonesia and 5 moreGinger
The pungent rhizome of a flowering perennial, one of the world's most traded spices.Root 路 Hot and fiery 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚨馃嚬 Portugal and 4 moreRosemary
A fragrant Mediterranean shrub with needle-like leaves used for seasoning and remembranceHerbal and green
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 5 moreGinger
The pungent rhizome of a flowering plant, widely used as a spice and folk medicine.Root 路 Hot and fiery 路 Sharp and pungent
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Common prickly ash: A. Barra, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ginger: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, source
- Pink peppercorn: Charles Gadbois, CC BY 3.0, source
- Californian white sage: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Alligator pepper: NsirimS, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Thyme: Evan-Amos, CC0, source
- Ginger: Venkatx5, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Rosemary: Miguel Angel Masegosa Mart铆nez, CC BY 2.0, source
- Common sage: Kurt St眉ber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bay Laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source
- Grains of paradise: Lemmikkipuu, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Roselle: Bamouzou, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cinnamon: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, source