Isolated Mediterranean foraging: wild greens in the matrifocal community of Olympos, Karpathos Island, Greece.

Autor: Pieroni A; University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, 9, 12042, Pollenzo, Italy.; Department of Medical Analysis, Tishk International University, Erbil, Kurdistan, 44001, Iraq., Sulaiman N; University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, 9, 12042, Pollenzo, Italy. n.sulaiman@unisg.it., Prakofjewa J; Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30174, Venice, Italy. yuliya.prakofyeva@unive.it., Haq SM; Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia State University, 0162, Tbilisi, Georgia., Zocchi DM; University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, 9, 12042, Pollenzo, Italy., Krigas N; Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO DIMITRA), 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece., Chryssanthopoulou V; Department of Philology, School of Philosophy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72, Athens, Greece., Sõukand R; Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30174, Venice, Italy.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine [J Ethnobiol Ethnomed] 2024 Nov 13; Vol. 20 (1), pp. 98. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Nov 13.
DOI: 10.1186/s13002-024-00733-5
Abstrakt: Background: Studies on the in-depth documentation of wild greens use in the Mediterranean Diet (MD) are vital to understanding patterns of cross-geographical change in wild food ingredients in the Mediterranean context, their appreciated taste, and possible evolution. Our present study aims to document the leafy, wild-sourced plant portion of the MD in the unique and isolated matrifocal community of Olympos, North Karpathos Isle, Greece.
Methods: An ethnobotanical field study focussing on traditionally wild-sourced edible greens (chórta) was conducted during the spring of 2023 via 42 semi-structured interviews with local people.
Results: Our study documented 69 wild green taxa, along with their culinary uses and linguistic labels. Half of the gathered wild greens have a bitter taste (i.e. members of Asteraceae and Brassicaceae), while 70% of the top-quoted greens are bitter. These greens were mostly consumed cooked. Nearly half of the quoted taxa had been previously recorded as used in the food system of central Crete. In contrast, one-fourth of the folk phytonyms recorded in Olympos do not match the ones found in Crete and the rest of Greece, which may be linked to the Doric culture that the community remained attached to because of its isolation. However, the plant-human interaction kernel is similar to that of surrounding areas. Moreover, the community of Olympos seems to rely less on aromatic wild greens (compared with Crete).
Conclusion: Cross-cultural foraging comparison is crucial for better understanding the circulation, exchange, and evolution of local plant knowledge under the MD umbrella. Our study assesses, in particular, how noteworthy phytolinguistic differences indicating different ancient trajectories of cultural encounters/exchanges may not necessarily be reflected in differences in terms of plant reports. As often postulated in linguistic ethnobiology, ancient linguistic labels sometimes remain as "empty shells". Given the fragile environment and the increasing over-tourism during the summer months the study site is experiencing, the presented data could contribute to a more substantial shift towards sustainable eco-tourism initiatives involving the foraging and cooking of wild greens.
Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate The International Society of Ethnobiology Code of Ethics was strictly followed, and informed consent was always obtained from each participant before interviews. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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