By Simona Lippi from NGO Na.Di.R for Conservation
Sitting on the Ta’ Ċenc cliffs in Gozo Island (Malta Archipelago) during a moonless spring night, I listened to the haunting calls of the Yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan), one of the seabird species listed as ‘threatened’ in the IUCN red list of species1. Their cries, echoing from the darkness, reminded me of Odysseus and the Sirens’ song—a sound both beautiful and tragic. As I sat there, I thought of another journey: the perilous crossings faced by migrants who traverse the Mediterranean to reach northern shores.
Figure 1: Scopoli’s and Yelkouan shearwaters rafting in front of Majjistral National Park in Malta. Picture by Andrew Rizzo.
One story, in particular, lingered in my mind, that of a Somali man I met years ago. It was 2014, during a workshop of the Ħwawar u Fjuri Project, organised by the Integra Foundation in the Maltese Archipelago. The project was about encounters, exchanging memories and knowledge, and sharing human experiences, focusing on narratives about the cultural use of herbs and flowers drawn from the memories of several communities living in Malta. One Somali man shared his story with us, related to traditional Somali medical plants and his migratory journey. At home, he had been a medical student, and he dedicated himself to learning about traditional Somali medicine. Over the years, he had gathered remedies from healers and villagers, compiling them into a manuscript of a precious record of his community’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).
Then he left his country; after a long and perilous journey, he finally arrived in Malta. The ‘journey’ to Malta had taken him through multiple countries, where he endured months in a Libyan prison before ultimately braving the sea. But during a storm that struck his overcrowded boat, he panicked. Fearing for their life, his belongings were thrown overboard, including that manuscript. His story reminded me not only of the deep inequities that exist among humans, but also of the fragility of TEK and the importance plants and memories can assume in the migration process; and the even more complicated process of adjustment, which involves adapting to new environments, reshaping daily practices, and navigating social and economic challenges. They also support people to create a sense of home and belonging in their new country. The story of the Somali man’s journey led us to reflect on questions that have accompanied our research over the years and continue to guide the initiatives carried out by our new NGO, Na.di.r for Conservation.
Figure 2: Discussing plants and rituals as part of the Ħwawar u Fjuri Project. Picture by Andrew Rizzo.
An Ethnobotanical Journey in Migrant Landscapes
Adaptation is essential for migrants as it enables them to navigate the social and cultural challenges of settling in a new country while fostering a sense of belonging. By learning and integrating into new customs and practices—without losing touch with their own cultural heritage—migrants can lead more fulfilling lives and contribute meaningfully to their host societies. This mutual enrichment benefits everyone, as cultural diversity enhances social cohesion and innovation.
Adaptation is not only a social process but also an ecological one. It often involves the transformation of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), environmental practices, and the values, beliefs, and customs that shape human relationships with nature. Migration raises important questions: How is individuals’ ecological knowledge affected when they move to a new environment? What happens when migrants can no longer access the plants or natural resources they traditionally used? How do cultures interact with—and adapt to—new ecological contexts? And finally, how can TEK serve as a resource for helping migrants adapt to unfamiliar landscapes and sustain their cultural identity in a new home?
The questions listed above were at the core of Na.di.R’s latest projects. As they have been investigated in similar research projects (Pieroni and Vandebroekl 2007; Nesheim et al., 2006; Medeiros et al., 2012; Fontefrasco et al, 2019), we aimed at looking at those questions from a different perspective: a narrative journey, delving into the sensorial memories that plants evoke through their scents, flavours, textures, and colours. Our focus was on the personal, emotional connections that people have with plants, offering a deeper exploration of how these sensory experiences shape their relationships with nature and culture. We sought to uncover the sensory landscapes of communities, exploring how sensory perceptions, such as taste, smell, and touch, contribute to the ways in which plants are integrated into daily life and cultural practices.
Figure 3: Ethnobotanical Conversation Workshop, July 24. Picture by Maria Luisa Catrambone Liotta.
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Starting from a decolonial critique of botanical taxonomy—which has historically displaced Indigenous knowledge systems and naming practices, as Banu Subramaniam argues in Botany of Empire (2024)—our research challenges dominant Western scientific perspectives that have long claimed authority over the classification and understanding of plants. Instead, we propose a narrative rooted in oral traditions, sensory memory, landscape perspectives, and human-plant relationships.
Decolonizing botanical taxonomy means exposing the colonial biases embedded in systems like Linnaean classification, which were imposed by European powers and often erased Indigenous knowledge. These systems advanced a Eurocentric view of nature, dismissing the cultural, spiritual, and ecological significance that plants hold for many communities. Reclaiming Indigenous naming systems and epistemologies fosters a more inclusive and pluralistic understanding of plant life and ecosystems.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is deeply intertwined with cultural identity. For migrants, reconnecting with familiar plants and practices can offer comfort, continuity, and a renewed sense of belonging. Studies show that a “sense of place” contributes to mental well-being, especially among displaced and marginalized groups (Fontefrancesco et al., 2019). Migrants navigating forced displacement often encounter disorienting and dehumanizing environments—at borders, in detention centers, or refugee camps.
In contrast, our project creates counter-spaces—grounded in Deleuze’s concept of “garden politics” and cultural landscapes—that nurture dignity, humanity, and home-making. Through storytelling and memory, we aim to restore a sense of self and place. As Edward Said (2000) poignantly wrote, displacement leaves one feeling “out of place.” Our work embraces that complexity and turns it into a resource for healing and reconnection.
Meaningful encounters between migrants and host communities can also generate reciprocal cultural exchange (D’Ambrosio et al., 2023). As traditions are shared and identities reshaped, TEK becomes a bridge—linking cultures, ecosystems, and generations. Migrants often settle in environmentally degraded or marginal areas, where traditional practices become essential for resilience. Moreover, their ecological knowledge, often honed in diverse and climate-stressed environments, offers invaluable insights for adapting to a changing climate (Klocker et al., 2018).
To explore these dynamics, Na.diR for Conservation partnered with the Migrants Commission to launch a series of workshops called Ethnobotanical Conversations in Malta. Open to all migrant communities and local Maltese, the sessions explored the everyday ethnobotany of food, healing, and home-making. Participants discussed the wild edible and medicinal plants they use, how they find or substitute them in their new environment, and how such knowledge is preserved, transformed, and transmitted.
Plants became more than material resources—they were entry points into personal histories, cultural identity, and the emotional landscapes of migration. Participants reflected on the homes they left behind and the new environments they now navigate. The sensory experience of tasting herbs, smelling flowers, or feeling the texture of leaves evoked powerful memories and emotions, grounding abstract conversations in embodied experience.
At the heart of the workshops was the understanding that traditional knowledge—composed of practice, belief, and adaptation—is shaped by ongoing relationships with the environment and others. These sessions highlighted how plants serve as connectors to the past, offer solace in the present, and build resilience for the future.
Ultimately, the workshops revealed that plants are not just natural elements; they are carriers of memory, symbols of survival, and tools for transformation. By honoring and exchanging ethnobotanical knowledge, we support not only environmental adaptation but also emotional and cultural flourishing in the face of displacement and change.
About the author:
Simona Lippi is a conservation biologist and researcher in conservation social science. Her work explores participatory approaches to natural resource management within neoliberal systems. She challenges fixed identities, advocating for interconnectedness over division, and opposes all physical and social barriers. She is a co-founder of the NGO Na.Di.R for Conservation.
Acknowledgments:
The author would like to acknowledge the contribution of social worker Mario Gerada and that of forest expert Massimiliano Sanfilippo, both co-founders of Nadir for their contribution and support in writing this story.
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References:
D’Ambrosio, U., Pozo, C., Vallès, J., & Gras, A. (2023). East meets west: using ethnobotany in ethnic urban markets of Barcelona metropolitan area (Catalonia) as a tool for biocultural exchange. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 19(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-023-00636-x
Fontefrancesco, M., Barstow, C., Grazioli, F., Lyons, H., Mattalia, G., Marino, M., McKay, A. E., Sõukand, R., Corvo, P., & Pieroni, A. (2019). Keeping or changing? Two different cultural adaptation strategies in the domestic use of home country food plant and herbal ingredients among Albanian and Moroccan migrants in Northwestern Italy. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 15(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-019-0290-7
Klocker, N., Head, L., Dun, O., & Spaven, T. (2018). Experimenting with agricultural diversity: Migrant knowledge as a resource for climate change adaptation. Journal of Rural Studies, 57, 13–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.10.006
Medeiros, P., Soldati, G., Alencar, N., Vandebroek, I., Pieroni, A., Hanazaki, N., & Albuquerque, U. (2012). The Use of Medicinal Plants by Migrant People: Adaptation, Maintenance, and Replacement. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM, 2012, 807452. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/807452
Nesheim, I., Dhillion, S. S., & Stølen, K. A. (2006). What Happens to Traditional Knowledge and Use of Natural Resources When People Migrate? Human Ecology : An Interdisciplinary Journal, 34(1), 99–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-005-9004-y
Pieroni, A., & Vandebroek, I. (2007). Traveling cultures and plants: The ethnobiology and ethnopharmacy of human migrations
Said, E. W. (2000). Out of place: A memoir. Vintage.Subramaniam, B. (2024). Botany of empire: Plant worlds and the Scientific legacies of Colonialism. University of Washington Press.
