Harvesting Our Heritage

Story:Yiwen Zheng | Photos: Seema Ghazal

The ‘Harvesting Our Heritage’ project is bringing together people from different backgrounds and ages to discuss their knowledge of plants and their uses. The project started in 2012 and has been exploring the uses of plants with five community groups, SADACCA Women's Group, Pakistan Muslim Centre Milan Women's group, Saalik Youth Group, Fir Vale College ESOL Slovak Group and Reader Project Group. They have been taking part in workshops, visits to nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the countryside and recording their knowledge of different plants and how they are used in medicine and cooking.

The project is about the importance of understanding plants in our lives and the groups have been looking at the benefits of plants both locally and from other countries. They have looked at plants used as traditional remedies and in conventional medicine and the danger of using the plants in the wrong way. The project is also about showing how different generations use plants, and hopes to share the knowledge of different species which had been lost to the younger generation.

The project is organised by SHEBEEN (Sheffield Black and Ethnic Minority Environmental Network) and The Biodiversity and Landscape History Research Institute and is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Steel Valley Project (Stocksbridge) and Sheffield Wildlife Trust are also involved.

On 29th April the project brought the five groups together at SADACCA to share their knowledge and discuss the different uses of plants. Project facilitator Christine Handley gave an overview of the project. In her presentation, she introduced some special plants, such as Ribwort Plantain, which can be used for stopping bleeding. Christine talked about Lungwort which was used to treat breathing problems. She also mentioned Fenugreek which has been prescribed for diabetes mellitus by the herbalists in Pakistan and India and Arnica from Slovakia which can be used to relieve the pain of bruises.

Representatives from each group presented the uses of one or two of the plants they had identified. Mavis Patterson talked about ginger which can be made into herbal tea and used to stop stomach pain. Mrs Franklin talked about Pawpaw which people can use for cooking and skin care, it is also used for heart disease, but will cause high blood pressure by overuse. Cora talked about Jamaican Sorrell which can be added into salad and soup, it is also made into a drink. Young people also presented their research; Giannah and Thea-Trinity introduced the Jamaican breadfruit tree with pictures, which was brought to Jamaica by a British seaman, Captain Bligh. It can be served in soups with salt fish or in other Jamaican meals. Parsa and Aria showed the uses of Pistachio nuts from their homeland of Iran. The nut can be eaten whole or added to food or desserts, they said they ate them every day and liked them very much.

The Harvesting Our Heritage project will be celebrating everyone's work at an event in July, where each groups’ research will be exhibited.