Medicinal Plant Use in North Karelia, Finland, in the 2010s
Finnish North Karelia is a region with a rich cultural history of ethnomedicinal plant use, shaped by centuries of interactions among various ethnic groups. This study identified both similarities and divergences between local Finns, Karelians war refugees, and individuals of mixed origin compared t...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/2/226 |
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| author | Renata Sõukand Natalia Kuznetsova Julia Prakofjewa Sabira Ståhlberg Ingvar Svanberg Baiba Prūse Giulia Mattalia Raivo Kalle |
| author_facet | Renata Sõukand Natalia Kuznetsova Julia Prakofjewa Sabira Ståhlberg Ingvar Svanberg Baiba Prūse Giulia Mattalia Raivo Kalle |
| author_sort | Renata Sõukand |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Finnish North Karelia is a region with a rich cultural history of ethnomedicinal plant use, shaped by centuries of interactions among various ethnic groups. This study identified both similarities and divergences between local Finns, Karelians war refugees, and individuals of mixed origin compared to historical records. Based on 67 semi-structured interviews, we documented the use of 43 medicinal plant taxa from 25 families, of which 31 remain in use. Notably, the number of medicinal plants continuously used in North Karelia is considerably lower than in other parts of Europe, with less than 25% of historically utilised species still in practice, which reflects the fragile state of this knowledge. Factors such as forced relocation, the loss of traditional lands, and the need to adapt to new environments might have contributed to this decline. Another influencing factor is official healthcare attitudes, which have prompted Finnish residents to shift from traditional herbal remedies to modern medical practices. Understanding the circulation of ethnomedicinal knowledge and its transformation over time is essential for identifying pathways to revitalise these practices within the framework of modern healthcare systems and cultural revitalisation efforts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1999350f3f1945e78b76719e0fe53b19 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-1999350f3f1945e78b76719e0fe53b192025-01-24T13:46:50ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-01-0114222610.3390/plants14020226Medicinal Plant Use in North Karelia, Finland, in the 2010sRenata Sõukand0Natalia Kuznetsova1Julia Prakofjewa2Sabira Ståhlberg3Ingvar Svanberg4Baiba Prūse5Giulia Mattalia6Raivo Kalle7Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics & Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30173 Venice, ItalyDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Informatics & Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30173 Venice, ItalyDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Informatics & Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30173 Venice, ItalyInstitute for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Uppsala University, SE-75120 Uppsala, SwedenInstitute for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Uppsala University, SE-75120 Uppsala, SwedenMaREI, The Research Ireland Centre for Energy, Climate, and Marine, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, P43 C573 Cork, IrelandInstitute of Environmental Science and Technology, Autonomous University of Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), 08193 Barcelona, SpainEstonian Literary Museum, 51003 Tartu, EstoniaFinnish North Karelia is a region with a rich cultural history of ethnomedicinal plant use, shaped by centuries of interactions among various ethnic groups. This study identified both similarities and divergences between local Finns, Karelians war refugees, and individuals of mixed origin compared to historical records. Based on 67 semi-structured interviews, we documented the use of 43 medicinal plant taxa from 25 families, of which 31 remain in use. Notably, the number of medicinal plants continuously used in North Karelia is considerably lower than in other parts of Europe, with less than 25% of historically utilised species still in practice, which reflects the fragile state of this knowledge. Factors such as forced relocation, the loss of traditional lands, and the need to adapt to new environments might have contributed to this decline. Another influencing factor is official healthcare attitudes, which have prompted Finnish residents to shift from traditional herbal remedies to modern medical practices. Understanding the circulation of ethnomedicinal knowledge and its transformation over time is essential for identifying pathways to revitalise these practices within the framework of modern healthcare systems and cultural revitalisation efforts.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/2/226North Kareliaethnomedicineborderlandplant-based remediesherbalswritten sources |
| spellingShingle | Renata Sõukand Natalia Kuznetsova Julia Prakofjewa Sabira Ståhlberg Ingvar Svanberg Baiba Prūse Giulia Mattalia Raivo Kalle Medicinal Plant Use in North Karelia, Finland, in the 2010s Plants North Karelia ethnomedicine borderland plant-based remedies herbals written sources |
| title | Medicinal Plant Use in North Karelia, Finland, in the 2010s |
| title_full | Medicinal Plant Use in North Karelia, Finland, in the 2010s |
| title_fullStr | Medicinal Plant Use in North Karelia, Finland, in the 2010s |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medicinal Plant Use in North Karelia, Finland, in the 2010s |
| title_short | Medicinal Plant Use in North Karelia, Finland, in the 2010s |
| title_sort | medicinal plant use in north karelia finland in the 2010s |
| topic | North Karelia ethnomedicine borderland plant-based remedies herbals written sources |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/2/226 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT renatasoukand medicinalplantuseinnorthkareliafinlandinthe2010s AT nataliakuznetsova medicinalplantuseinnorthkareliafinlandinthe2010s AT juliaprakofjewa medicinalplantuseinnorthkareliafinlandinthe2010s AT sabirastahlberg medicinalplantuseinnorthkareliafinlandinthe2010s AT ingvarsvanberg medicinalplantuseinnorthkareliafinlandinthe2010s AT baibapruse medicinalplantuseinnorthkareliafinlandinthe2010s AT giuliamattalia medicinalplantuseinnorthkareliafinlandinthe2010s AT raivokalle medicinalplantuseinnorthkareliafinlandinthe2010s |