The Healing Nation, Discover Jamaican Herbs by Kukuwa Abba
Jamaican Herbs is a truly inspiring journey into the medicinal and healing powers of Jamaica’s diverse offering of native herbs. Marijuana may be the herb that most of us think about when we talk about “Jamaican herb” but Kukuwa Abba educates us on the bigger picture of the incredible healing powers belonging to the island's big selection of herbs. Some herbs that are currently being researched for their ability to prevent and cure cancers and many other diseases. Gully Root (Ananku), Sour Sop (Graviola), Leaf of Life, King of the Forest, Carry Mi Seed - all names that we may not have heard of but offer powerful remedies and complimentary medicines.
Kukuwa learnt about these herbs first hand, out of necessity whilst living off the land in the mountains around Portland JA. With no direct access to medical treatment or supplies, she relied on those around her to teach her how the herbs would heal her and her young daughters in times of need. After moving to Europe, Kukuwa developed her interest in healing, taking the opportunity to learn more about a whole variety of different healing modalities. She realised that her passion still remained with the herbs that she had learnt about all those years before in her homeland. Through exploing the world of healing herbs, Kukuwa found the vast majority of the information was from the popular European, Chinese, Indian and North American cultures, indeed there was very little, if anything, that spoke of Jamaican and Caribbean bush medicine. Upon her return to Nonsuch in 2004, she decided to remedy the knowledge gap by cataloguing the vast collection of indigenous herbs, their uses and the science behind them. Jamaican Herbs is now a classic read for anyone interested not only in remedies and herbal cures, but Jamaican history and culture. |
Kukuwa explains in detail the history and properties of each plant from the common plant name to the Latin and possible local variances too, for each of the forty herbs. The descriptions are just like the ones you would find in any botanical book, along with a colour photograph which is so useful in helping you to clearly identify the chosen plant. She talks about the traditional way of using each herb and also the modern research that is taking place for each one – showing new and exciting information of how these herbs can heal. In some cases, the herbs also have a whole host of other non-healing uses too the Annatto Plant found in food and cosmetics for example, is now being used in solar technology. Kukuwa’s passion for herbal healing is apparent throughout this fabulous book, she saw a need to save part of a dying culture and resurrect the long tradition of JA bush medicine, whilst encouraging people to look at new opportunities in the production of herbal remedies and uses. We hope that her messages about creating an industry around this flourish. By encouraging farmers to grow herbs like Vetivert & Ylang Ylang to sell to the high-end perfume industry or herbs like Moringa & Noni which are currently headline news on the international herbal marketplace. By developing the herbal growth market, economic as well as holistic opportunities can grow through encouraging people to make a sustainable living from the land in times of environmental crisis and job shortages. It really is all about the healing of the nation! Jamaican Herbs: 40 Jamaican Medicinal Herbs by Kukuwa Abba is available on Amazon. |
The Healing Nation
Discover Jamaican Herbs by Kukuwa Abba
Jamaican Herbs is a truly inspiring journey into the medicinal and healing powers of Jamaica’s diverse offering of native herbs. Marijuana may be the herb that most of us think about when we talk about “Jamaican herb” but Kukuwa Abba educates us on the bigger picture of the incredible healing powers belonging to the island's big selection of herbs. Some herbs that are currently being researched for their ability to prevent and cure cancers and many other diseases. Gully Root (Ananku), Sour Sop (Graviola), Leaf of Life, King of the Forest, Carry Mi Seed - all names that we may not have heard of but offer powerful remedies and complimentary medicines.
Kukuwa learnt about these herbs first hand, out of necessity whilst living off the land in the mountains around Portland JA. With no direct access to medical treatment or supplies, she relied on those around her to teach her how the herbs would heal her and her young daughters in times of need.
After moving to Europe, Kukuwa developed her interest in
healing, taking the opportunity to learn more about a whole variety of different
healing modalities. She realised that her passion still remained with the herbs
that she had learnt about all those years before in her homeland.
Through exploing the world of healing herbs, Kukuwa found the vast majority of the information was from the popular European, Chinese, Indian and North American cultures, indeed there was very little, if anything, that spoke of Jamaican and Caribbean bush medicine. Upon her return to Nonsuch in 2004, she decided to remedy the knowledge gap by cataloguing the vast collection of indigenous herbs, their uses and the science behind them. Jamaican Herbs is now a classic read for anyone interested not only in remedies and herbal cures, but Jamaican history and culture.
Kukuwa explains in detail the history and properties of each
plant from the common plant name to the Latin and possible local variances too,
for each of the forty herbs. The descriptions are just like the ones you would
find in any botanical book, along with a colour photograph which is so useful
in helping you to clearly identify the chosen plant. She talks about the traditional
way of using each herb and also the modern research that is taking place for
each one – showing new and exciting information of how these herbs can heal. In
some cases, the herbs also have a whole host of other non-healing uses too the
Annatto Plant found in food and cosmetics for example, is now being used in
solar technology.
Kukuwa’s passion for herbal healing is apparent throughout this fabulous book, she saw a need to save part of a dying culture and resurrect the long tradition of JA bush medicine, whilst encouraging people to look at new opportunities in the production of herbal remedies and uses. We hope that her messages about creating an industry around this flourish. By encouraging farmers to grow herbs like Vetivert & Ylang Ylang to sell to the high-end perfume industry or herbs like Moringa & Noni which are currently headline news on the international herbal marketplace. By developing the herbal growth market, economic as well as holistic opportunities can grow through encouraging people to make a sustainable living from the land in times of environmental crisis and job shortages. It really is all about the healing of the nation!
Jamaican Herbs: 40 Jamaican Medicinal Herbs by Kukuwa Abba is available on Amazon.
