The Roots Told from the Web: Preserving Ethnobotanical Knowledge through Jamaican Anancy Stories

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AbstractAnancy, a half human-half spider entity has an unshakable presence on the island of Jamaica. Anancy stories are found throughout every parish, where they tell tales of his trickery, deceit and cunning nature. But tales of Anancy serve a larger purpose in Jamaican society. Having travelled across the Middle Passage with enslaved Africans, Anancy stories are symbolic of the struggles of an oppressive society and inspire marginalised Jamaicans with the prospects for survival, hope, and freedom. Passed down from one generation to the next, these stories are part of the intangible heritage of the island and today, Anancy's manifestation as the keeper of all knowledge and the creator of the world provides us with insight to the country's unique epistemological beliefs.This PhD will focus on the role of Anancy stories and the transmission of knowledge. Narrowing my lens, I will explore the influence of Anancy on the plants of Jamaica and will illustrate how Anancy is embodied in plant nomenclature, traditions, and practises. Through the performance and execution of Caribbean folklore, I will investigate the ways Anancy stories act as a fruitful ground for understanding Jamaicans' ontological connection to plant worlds. Moreover, I seek to understand how stories shape our relationships to plants and become embedded in the politics of the environment, health, and migration. In this light, this PhD situates itself within the framework of decolonisation, and asks to what extent does storytelling act as a force of resistance in colonial and post-colonial society.In order to fulfil the ambitions of this project, I will conduct ethnobotanical and ethnographic research in Jamaica and England, to intimately understand the relationship between Anancy stories, plants and African Caribbean heritage. I will gather and document Anancy stories from my participants and will carry out oral history interviews to learn more about their upbringing with these narratives and, what they learn about plants through them. As there are concerns within the Jamaican community that Anancy stories will dissipate, this project will become an archive for preserving Jamaican history, African Caribbean identity and ethnobiological knowledge.