Basic Human Needs
Humans have always had certain physical needs: food and water, clothing, shelter and health. The way that these needs are met depends upon the factors of time and place. Obtaining food can either be by hunting, foraging, farming or all combined. Clothing needs are determined by the climate conditions, age or gender. Shelter is dependent upon the climate and surrounding conditions where a person lives or travels. Health needs are governed by age, sex, living conditions, disease or injury.
Ethobotany is "the scientific study of the traditional knowledge and customs of a people concerning plants and their medical, religious and other uses." The native Americans and early Hispanic settlers had to experiment with the plants in their environment to fulfill their needs. Most of the time they relied on the knowledge of others who preceded them, but sometimes they experimented with unknown plants. Over time each of these groups developed the knowledge of how to use all of the plants in their surroundings for their many purposes.
|
The native American Pueblo farmers depended upon growing and using the "three sisters"- corn, beans and squash.
They foraged in their immediate area for the plants that they used for various functions taking into consideration the type of terrain and the time of the year. The early Hispanic farmers who came to New Mexico learned much from them. In addition, the colonists brought most of the crops that we are familiar with today with them from Spain.
Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the relationship between people and plants. New Mexico ethnobotany specifically involves the uses of plants by both the indigenous peoples and the early Spanish settlers in the state.
The Ojos y Manos Garden was the second phase of the Santa Fe Botanical Garden to be designed. It opened on October 22, 2016. This section,"Ojos y Manos" (Eyes and Hands), is a teaching ethnobotanical garden dedicated to growing the plants used by the area's native Americans and early Hispanic settlers. The location of each plant in the garden, a photo and specifics for each of the plants is available online.
Ethnobotanicals can be categorized into several groups depending upon their uses. The Santa Fe Botanical Garden at Museum Hill currently grows several of these plants. Below is a list that can be found of the plants that are grown and a description of how they were or are currently used as either Food, Wood & Tools, Weaving & Dying, Medicinal or the many Other Uses.
 |
 |
 |
 |