Student Participation:
This project is currently accepting students interested in learning about ethnobotany research relevant to conservation of biocultural diversity.

Summary:
Jamaican “root tonics,” commonly known as “roots,” are fermented preparations made from the roots, bark, and other plant parts of multiple plant species. Widely consumed across Jamaica, and among Jamaican diasporic communities in London, Toronto, and New York City, these tonics are valued for strengthening the body, enhancing stamina, “cleansing the blood,” and supporting libido. Despite their cultural prominence, root tonics remain significantly understudied, even as they represent a vibrant expression of Jamaican biocultural heritage that connects plants, people, history, and cultural identity across generations and geographies. Fundamental questions remain unanswered: When, where, and by whom were root tonics first developed? How does their botanical composition vary across rural and urban Jamaica and within the diaspora? Have their meanings and functions shifted over time? This project addresses these gaps through ethnobotanical field expeditions combining community interviews, botanical collections, and species identification. We will document the botanical diversity of plants used in root tonics and assess the relative prevalence of native versus introduced plant species. Particular attention will be given to the conservation status of native forest species harvested for root tonic production, highlighting potential sustainability concerns. To trace the historical development of root tonics, we will triangulate ethnographic data, archival research, and scholarly consultation. This integrative approach will help determine whether root tonics originated before, during, or after Emancipation, or whether they represent a more recent cultural innovation shaped by changing social and ecological contexts.

Findings:
Findings will be published in a peer-reviewed ethnobiology journal and shared locally through an illustrated book featuring plant narratives and photography. Results will also be disseminated through community engagement, ensuring that this research both documents and actively contributes to the recognition and preservation of an important, yet officially under-recognized, dimension of Jamaican biocultural heritage.