Carrier Herbal Medicine By Sophie Thomas Summary

The precise science of botanical arts was introduced in Plants and Medicines of Sophie Thomas by Sophie Thomas. The vast knowledge that Thomas has obtained and simultaneously passed down to her children was beautifully and intricately put together. It was interesting to see how some of the scientific knowledge to this day line up fairly with the traditional knowledge of Indigenous cultures. Over hundreds of years, the Indigenous peoples have lived on the land and became to understand the way it works. This form of knowledge was passed down for many generations, slowly forming into an artistic craft. In Carrier Herbal Medicine by E.M. Ritch-Krc, S. Thomas, N.J. Turner, and G.H.N. Towers, the reader was presented to the traditional botanical usage that is present within the Carrier culture, located in central British Columbia. It is important to see that the Indigenous peoples respect their relationship between themselves and the Earth by maintaining a healthy “balance both spiritually and physically with nature” (Ritch-Krc et al., 1996, pg. 91). In addition to this, the authors noted the fragility of the earth and the negative aspects that may arise in the future. …show more content…
The author discussed the impacts of a number of viral infections brought to the New World by Europeans. Because of the sudden exposure to bacteria and viruses they had never encountered before, the immune systems of the Aboriginal peoples were dangerously unprepared. The death rate was “estimated that in the first 130 years of contact about 95 percent of the people in the Americas died” (Mann, 2002, pg. 44) as a result of the introduction of foreign pathogens. Unfortunately, the Spanish, the Portuguese, and the British were only concerned about the drastic death rate because they desired to use the Aboriginal peoples as workers. This mindset poisoned the society and would continue to shape the way different cultures are