In his book Plants and Traditions of Africa Abbiw examines some of the cultural and symbolic uses and associations of forest plants.
The topic headings include:
|
Animals |
(symbolic plant associations with animals) |
|
Bees |
(e.g. plants used to protect against stings) |
|
Burglary |
(plants used to prevent or bring about burglary) |
|
Carvings |
(symbolic species associations) |
|
Cattle |
(e.g. to increase milk output) |
|
Ceremonial occasions |
(plants used in) |
|
Charms |
|
|
Childbirth |
|
|
Court cases |
(e.g. plants used to sway results) |
|
Death and dying |
|
|
Devil |
|
|
Disease |
|
|
Dwarves and “fairies” |
(e.g. plants which protect against) |
|
Evil |
|
|
Farming |
(e.g. plants which enhance production) |
|
Fertility |
(of people and livestock) |
|
Fetish |
|
|
Fishing |
|
|
Divination |
|
|
Spirits |
|
|
Graves |
|
|
Hunting |
(e.g. improving hunters abilities) |
|
Infants |
(e.g. make strong) |
|
Intelligence |
(e.g. improve memory) |
|
Journeys |
|
|
Juju magic |
|
|
Kinship |
|
|
Lactation |
|
|
Lightning/Thunder Love |
|
|
Luck |
|
|
Manhood |
|
|
Marketing |
(e.g. improve marketing success) |
|
Marriage |
(e.g. protect) |
|
Medicine |
|
|
Occult |
|
|
Ordeal, Trial by |
|
|
Popularity |
|
|
Protection |
|
|
Religion |
(plants associated with ceremonies) |
|
Sacred plants |
|
|
Secrets |
(those plants associated with secrecy) |
|
Shrines |
|
|
Slavery |
|
|
Snake bites |
|
|
Taboos |
|
|
Talismen |
|
|
Twins |
|
|
Walking |
(plants used to encourage children to walk) |
|
War |
|
|
Wealth |
|
|
Witchcraft |
(e.g. plants for and against witchcraft) |
