This text is part of the special section Acfas prices
Ethnobotanist Alain Cuerrier, who received the Jacques-Rousseau prize from Acfas, has worked for many years with and for indigenous communities in Quebec and elsewhere. Together, they document, translate and preserve knowledge linked to plants, animals, traditional medicine and perceptions of climate change.
At the crossroads of social anthropology, ethnoecology and linguistics, ethnobotany remains a little-known science. “It’s the meeting between humans and plants,” explains Alain Cuerrier, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Montreal. It implies a great multidisciplinarity, as well as a deep curiosity, which characterizes the researcher well. “As a student, I was interested in chemistry, insects, environmental problems, but also philosophy and history,” he says. I also had a great-aunt who was an herbalist. »
During his doctorate in plant systematics, he delved into the writings of ancient botanists on folk classification, or how Indigenous people perceive living things around the world. He was marked by his meeting with Richard Evans Schultes, a renowned American ethnobotanist, during a year of study at Harvard University. A few years later, he participated in the creation of the First Nations garden at the Montreal Botanical Garden, showcasing the botanical knowledge of the First Nations and Inuit.
His work has led him to collaborate with communities in Morocco, French Guiana and with Cree, Inuit, Innu and Naskapi First Peoples, as well as the Anishinaabe, Wabanaki and Squamish. “Nothing is better than meeting local communities directly,” he says. It is essential to discuss with seniors, to listen to them and to respect their requests and their needs. »
The benefits of traditional medicine
Alain Cuerrier studies, among other things, traditional knowledge for preventing and treating type 2 diabetes, a disease very widespread among indigenous groups. With his colleagues, he demonstrated the effectiveness of medicinal plants used by First Nations, such as Labrador tea. “Certain plants affect human metabolism, such as the uptake of glucose in the blood and the secretion of insulin,” he explains.
Around 80% of the world’s population uses traditional medicine and some 40% of approved pharmaceuticals used today are derived from natural substances, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “Contrary to certain beliefs, traditional medicine does not take anything away from modern medicine, which is very important and must be developed,” emphasizes Alain Cuerrier. Combining the two is very rich, plants constitute complementary tools. »
Climatic changes
If climate change particularly affects indigenous peoples on a global scale, it is evident in the Canadian sub-Arctic. “The permafrost is thawing, infrastructure is sinking, ponds are disappearing,” adds Alain Cuerrier. There is a very good connection between the perception of the Inuit and the scientific data taken from weather stations. » For example, they observe that the taste of wild berries, caribou, seals and fish is no longer the same, in particular because of droughts.
However, the cultural identity of the First Peoples is closely linked to the territory, food and language. “All the bones of a caribou have their own name in the Inuktitut language,” says the researcher. The Crees name the black spruce three ways, while Westerners have identified only one. These differences reveal some very interesting distinct characteristics. » The animist concept and sacred respect for the living thus open a wider window on the world.
Privileged links
The ethnobotanist favors an approach of openness and collaboration. “It is no longer possible to act like the anthropologists who came and left without giving any news, it hurt people a lot,” he believes. When I went to Labrador, the first thing the Inuit asked me was if I was going to come back. » The researcher always makes sure to know the concerns of the people with whom he collaborates. “We must take the time and care to build balanced exchanges, by inviting them to conferences for example. Moreover, they are increasingly speaking out and taking the reins of research. »
What Alain Cuerrier loves above all are the strong and privileged links he has formed throughout his career. He particularly remembers an anecdote with an Inuit, Willie Emudluk, now deceased. “I was trying to tell him a fish name in Inuktitut, but I didn’t pronounce it correctly,” he says. He laughed, took my face in his big hands and said: “From now on, your name is sulukpaugaq [lotte de rivière].” » A gesture of humor and affection that touched him deeply.
“Willie was always very open to sharing his knowledge and that of others so that it was not lost, so that his language remained as rich as possible,” he continues. Like others, he was happy that I could speak to him and understand words in his language. » Today, the professor is proud of his students’ great sensitivity to these questions, and accompanies them in the field whenever he can.
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