Background
Methods
Field study
Results and discussion
The current ethnobotanical knowledge of the upper Reka
Scientific taxon and family | Local folk name(s) | Ecological status or provenience | Part(s) used | Local use(s) | Folk name(s) and use(s) as recorded one century ago in the same area [[22]] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abies alba Mill. and Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. (Pinaceae) |
Bren
| W | Resin (smol*) | MEDICINAL: topically applied to wounds, sometimes together with tobacco (as haemostatic) or on warts | Breh MEDICINAL: resin (smol*) as an ingredient of a home-made poultice (mehlem) - made also by adding wax, fat, and powdered pine wood – for treating wounds |
Acer pseudoplatanus L. (Sapindaceae) |
Klenje*
| W | Wood | HANDICRAFTS: diverse objects, among them, snow shoes |
Pani
|
Kleni*
| |||||
Bark | VETERINARY: decoction, in external washes for treating wounds in animals | ||||
Achillea millefolium L. (Asteraceae) |
Lule e bardhë
| W | Dried flowering aerial parts | MEDICINAL: tea, considered healthy for stomach-ache and liver problems; traded in the past | |
Lule miu
| |||||
Allium cepa L. (Amaryllidaceae) |
Qepa
| C | Bulbs | FOOD: many culinary uses, including home-made savory pies called ndri, filled with buttermilk (dhallët) and diverse vegetables; MEDICINAL: compresses made with crushed onions and salt for treating bruises RITUAL: burned on the fire | Qep FOOD: filling for savory pies MEDICINAL: externally applied with salt on wounds |
Allium porrum L. (Amaryllidaceae) |
Prash*
| C | Fresh aerial parts | FOOD: filling for home-made savory pies (ndri) |
Prasa
|
Juice | MEDICINAL: instilled in the ear for treating ear-ache | ||||
Allium sativum L. (Amaryllidaceae) |
Hudra
| C | Bulbs | FOOD: seasoning |
Hudr
|
RITUAL: burned on the fire; the resulting strong odour was considered a repellent for werewolves; tied to cow horns as a protective amulet against evil-eye | |||||
Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. (Betulaceae) |
Verri
| W | Bark | DYEING: the bark was boiled in the past; the resulting red decoction was used for dyeing in black |
Verri
|
Amaranthus spp. (Amaranthaceae) |
Llabot e egër
| W | Leaves | FODDER | |
Arctium lappa L. (Asteraceae) |
Kakuda
| W | Leaves | FODDER | |
Atriplex hortensis L. (Amaranthaceae) |
Laboda*
| C | Leaves | FOOD: most preferred filling for pies (ndri) | |
Labat*
| |||||
Betula pendula Roth (Betulaceae) |
Mustekna
| W | Bark | MEDICINAL: burned; the vapours are exposed to the skin for treating skin inflammations HANDICRAFTS: brooms |
Mushtekn
|
Boletus spp. (Boletaceae) |
Këpurdha
| W | Fresh fruiting body | FOOD: stored dried and sold to middle men; traditionally it was not consumed, nowadays is sometimes used in omelettes with eggs and cheese, or as a filling for savory pies | |
(Varganj*)
| |||||
Brassica oleracea L. (Brassicaceae) |
Lakna
| C | Leaves | FOOD: in diverse preparations | Lakna FOOD: filling for savory pies; lactofermented, in sarma (sauerkraut leaves filled with rice and meat) or minced in salads |
Calamintha officinalis Mill. (Lamiaceae) | W | Fresh leaves | MEDICINAL: externally applied to treat toothache | ||
Cantharellus cibarius Fr. (Cantharellaceae) |
Kepurdha
| W | Fruiting body | FOOD: consumed fried with eggs and clarified butter | |
(Lisiçarka*)
| |||||
Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae) | Spec (sweet varieties) | C | Dried fruits | FOOD: as a vegetable, fried; mixed with ricotta (gjizë) and consumed after a few weeks; ground, as one of the ingredients of the home-made seasoning mixture called piprik e shtupun, prepared by mixing ground red peppers, chilli, pumpkin seeds, corn flour, mint, and salt (traditionally consumed on boiled potatoes or warm bread) |
Spec
|
Piprik*
| C | Dried fruits | FOOD: ingredient of the spice mix piprik e shtupun (see above) | ||
(hot varieties) | |||||
MEDICINAL: ground and mixed with clarified butter or pork fat in a poultice, which is externally applied against rheumatisms | |||||
RITUAL: burned on the fire; the resulting strong odour is considered a repellent for werewolves (lugata) | |||||
Carlina acanthifolia All. (Asteraceae) |
Thera
| W | Fresh flower receptacles | FOOD: consumed raw as snacks | |
Kaçani*
| |||||
Carpinus betulus L. (Betulaceae) |
Dru kaprivë
| W | Wood | HANDICRAFTS: diverse agricultural tools, including sickles | |
Carpinus orientalis Mill. (Betulaceae) |
Gaber*
| W | Bark | VETERINARY: decoction, in external washed on cuts | |
Cetraria islandica (L.) Ach. (Parmeliaceae) |
Mishk
| W | Thallus | MEDICINAL: gathered and traded in the past | |
Chenopodium bonus-henricus L. (Amarathaceae) |
Çuen*
| W | Roots | FOOD: used in the past for making home-made halva* (Ottoman sweet prepared by gently stirring the decotion obtained by boiling these roots in water, with wheat and/or corn flour for one hour, and generally adding walnuts or raisins at the end, and letting it cool/solidify); the roots were also traded in the past | Çuen FOOD: home-made production of the sweet halva, made by cooking together roots, sugar syrup and powdered nuts - roots of çuen were erroneously identified by Doda as those of Saponaria spp. Upper Reka men were famous halva-sellers |
Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansf. (Cucurbitaceae) |
Bostan
| B | Fruit pulp | FOOD/MEDICINAL: consumed raw, considered a means for cleansing the intestines | |
Lubenicë*
| |||||
Clematis vitalba L. (Ranunculaceae) |
Kurpna
| W | Branches | HANDICRAFTS: traditionally weaved in baskets used for bee-keeping | |
Pofit*
| |||||
Fresh flowers | HONEY PLANT | ||||
(Dried?) flowers | FOOD: used in the past as bread yeast | ||||
Cornus mas L. (Cornaceae) |
Thona
| W | Fresh fruits | FOOD: consumed raw; FOOD/MEDICINAL: syrups and distillate (raki thonet) considered healthy, esp. for treating fever |
Thon
|
Corylus avellana L. (Betulaceae) |
Leithiza
| W | Kernels | FOOD: consumed raw as snacks |
Leithi
|
Branches | OTHERS: as structural supports for bean plants in the vegetable garden | ||||
Crataegus monogyna Jacq. var. sericea Dzekov (Rosaceae) |
Murrisi
| W | Dried flowers | MEDICINAL: tea, as an anti-hypertensive | Muris qeni RITUAL: child affected by measles was placed under a hawthorn plant and water was thrown on him/her |
Fruits | FOOD: consumed as snack and in syrups and jams | ||||
Cucumis sativus L. (Cucurbitaceae) |
Kastraveca*
| C | Fruits | FOOD: consumed raw, or, more often, lactofermented (turshi*) | |
Cucurbita maxima Duchesne (Cucurbitaceae) |
Kungulla
| C | Fruits | FOOD: filling for pies | Kungul FOOD: filling for pies (ndri) |
Dried seeds | FOOD: consumed as snacks; ground and used as an ingredient of the home-made seasoning mixture piprik e shtupun (see Capsicum annuum) | ||||
Euphorbia sp. (Euphorbiaceae) |
Lule gjarpi
| W | Aerial parts | OTHERS: crushed and used for fishing trout (pastërmka) in the river (as a fish poison) |
Lishanj
|
Fagus sylvatica L. (Fagaceae) |
Ahu
| W | Fresh young leaves and kernels | FOOD: consumed as a snack in the past |
Ah
|
Branches and wood | FUEL | ||||
HANDICRAFTS: fences, diverse agricultural tools, “skeleton” of horse saddles and barns | |||||
Fomes fomentarius (L.) J. J. Kickx (Polyporaceae) |
Eshka
| W | Dried fruiting body | OTHERS: burned; the resulting smoke is used to keep away bees while gathering honey | |
Fragaria vesca L. (Rosaceae) |
Drezdha
| W | Fruits | FOOD: consumed raw |
Drethsa
|
Fraxinus excelsior L. (Oleaceae) |
Frashëri
| W | Wood | HANDICRAFTS: for building flutes (kaval*) | |
Gentiana lutea L. (Gentianaceae) |
Shtarë e egëra
| W | Roots | MEDICINAL: largely gathered and traded in the past; use unknown |
Shatra e egër
|
Helleborus spp. (Ranunculaceae) |
Kukurek*
| W | Roots | MEDICINAL: inserted in the horse’s breast for treating muscular blocks (horses not able to be ridden anymore) | Kukurek VETERINARY: inserted into the nose to treat nasal congestion in horses |
Helichrysum plicatum DC. (Asteraceae) |
Lule për molca
| W | Dried flowering tops | OTHERS: placed in the closets as a moth repellent | |
Hordeum vulgare L. (Poaceae) |
Elb
| C | Fruits | FOOD: consumed in the past in gruels with corn; FODDER for sheep |
Elb
|
Hyosciamus niger L. (Solanaceae) | W | Dried flowers | MEDICINAL: burned and the smoke exposed to the mouth to treat toothache (in the past) | ||
Hypericum perforatum L. (Hypericaceae) |
Katrion*
| W | Dried flowering tops | MEDICINAL: tea, for treating kidney stones, colds, stomach-ache, rheumatisms (used every day for at least a few months) or simply drunk as a “healthy” beverage; topically applied for treating wounds | |
Kantarion*
| |||||
Çaj bistrë
| |||||
Lule e verdhë
| |||||
Fresh flowering tops | MEDICINAL: Macerate in oil (obtained by exposing it in the sun for several weeks) or prepare as a tea externally applied for treating skin burns, cuts, or other skin inflammations | ||||
Juglans regia L. (Juglandaceae) |
Arra
| SD | Kernels | FOOD: used for cakes; a specific pie (ndri) was prepared with walnuts and lamb meat, and consumed on feast days |
Arr
|
Unripe fruits | FOOD/MEDICINAL: dipped in honey (and eventually lemon juice), the resulting preserve is considered healthy against tuberculosis and bronchitis | ||||
Juniperus communis L. (Cupressaceae) |
Dëllinia
| W | Galbules | FOOD: seasoning MEDICINAL: tea, for treating cough, rheumatisms and “good for the blood”; largely gathered and sold, especially in the past |
Dulinj
|
Dried bark | OTHERS: smoked as a tobacco substitute | ||||
Lactuca sativa L. (Asteracaeae) |
Marolla*
| C | Fresh leaves | FOOD: salads | |
Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. (Solanaceae) |
Patlixhan*
| C | Fresh fruits | FOOD |
Patlingjan kuq
|
Malus domestica Borkh. (Rosaceae) |
Molla
| SD | Fruits | FOOD/MEDICINAL: traditionally consumed raw, or roasted, or in pies or jams; the fruits of the most acidic landraces were used for producing home-made vinegar (adding water and letting ferment for 40 days) - this vinegar is considered healthy for treating hypertension |
Moll
|
Fruits→Raki | MEDICINAL: drunk as a stimulant (anti-lethargic) | ||||
Matricaria recutita L. (Asteraceae) |
Kamomila
| W | Dried flowering aerial parts | MEDICINAL: tea for treating toothache, stomach-ache and belly pains (esp. in babies) |
Cfarlik
|
Medicago sativa L. (Fabaceae) |
Jonxhe
| C | Aerial parts | FODDER | |
Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) |
Milc
| W | Fresh flowers | HONEY PLANT: considered the best honey plant | |
Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. (Lamiaceae) |
Nagjas i egër
| W | Dried flowering tops | MEDICINAL: tea, as a stimulant (considered poisonous if drunk in large amounts) | |
Mentha spicata L. (Lamiaceae) |
Nane
| W and C | Dried leaves | FOOD: ground, used as an ingredient of the seasoning mix piprik e shtupun (see Capsicum annuum) | |
Nagjas
| |||||
MEDICINAL: tea, for treating stomach and intestinal pains, esp. in children, or as an anti-diarrhoeal | |||||
Nicotiana tabacum L. (Solanaceae) |
Duhan*
| B | Dried crashed leaves | VETERINARY: externally applied on wounds or skin problems in sheep | MEDICINAL: external applications for treating wounds (mixed with honey) |
Tutun*
| |||||
Orchis spp. (Orchidaceae) | Salep* (two quoted “folk specifics”: one showing pink flowers and the other one with yellow flowers) | W | Dried tubers | MEDICINAL: ground, and then mixed with milk and dried again; the resulting powder is used in teas, as a “healthy” beverage (rarely macerated in plum distillate and drunk as a medicine); in the past largely gathered and sold | Broçka Salep FOOD: powdered orchid tubers were stirred with warm water and sugar; many young men from the upper Reka left their homes to work as salep, bosa and halva sellers in Skopje, Istanbul, Romania, and Bulgaria |
Origanum vulgare L. (Lamiaceae) |
Çaj*
| W | Dried flowering aerial parts | MEDICINAL: tea for treating sore throat, cough, heart problems, intestinal discomforts, or as a recreational beverage | |
Çaj i malit
| |||||
Çaj i livadhi*
| |||||
Petasites hybridus (L.) Gaertn. (Asteraceae) |
Kakuda Lapua
| W | Leaves | FODDER |
Kakuda
|
Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabaceae) |
Grosha*
| C (brown and white landraces) | Dried seeds | FOOD: soups | Grosh FOOD: boiled, generally cooked together fresh or dried meat, adding bone marrow (galgo) |
Pisum sativum L. (Fabaceae) |
Grashaka*
| C | Seeds | FOOD: cooked with meat or potatoes |
Nahut
|
Plantago major L. (Plantaginaceae) |
Lule deli
| W | Leaves | MEDICINAL: tea, for treating kidney stones; externally applied for treating cuts | Bajsht delit MEDICINAL: external applications of leaves and roots for treating furuncles |
Primula veris L. (Primulaceae) |
Gornicfet*
| W | Flowers | MEDICINAL: sold and traded in the past – use unknown |
Garicfet
|
Prunus avium L. (Rosaceae) |
Shurshia
| SD | Fresh fruits | FOOD: consumed raw; syrups |
Qershi
|
Prunus cerasus L. (Rosaceae) |
Vishnja*
| SD | Fruits | FOOD: consumed raw, or dried, or in syrups |
Vishnja
|
Resin (smol*) | MEDICINAL: externally applied on skin inflammations | ||||
Prunus cerasus L. var. marasca (Host.) Viv. (Rosaceae) |
Shurshia e egër
| SD | Fruits | FOOD: consumed raw or dried, or in syrups | |
Prunus domestica L. (Rosaceae) |
Kumbulla Gjagalka
| SD (many diverse landraces, with yellow, red, and black fruits) | Fruits | FOOD: consumed raw or dried; cooked with sugar and dried, and consumed as candies; hoshaf* – thickened fruit juice preserve; it is diluted with water (and eventually sugar) and drunk |
Kumla
|
Fresh fruits (fermented 1–2 months and then resulting must distilled)→raki* | MEDICINAL: instilled in the ear for treating earaches; drunk as a “healthy” beverage for the heart (rare) or to counteract tiredness; externally applied as a disinfectant for wounds | MEDICINAL: distillate externally applied on bullet wounds | |||
Pyrus communis L. (Rosaceae) |
Dardha
| W | Fresh fruits | FOOD: consumed raw |
Dardha
|
Rhamnus alpina L. (Rhamnaceae) | W | Fruits | FOOD: consumed as snacks | ||
Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Fabaceae) |
Bagrem*
| W | Fresh flowers | HONEY PLANT: the resulting honey is considered effective against cough | |
Rosa canina L. (s.l.) (Rosaceae) |
Kaça Shipinka*
| W | Fresh fruits | FOOD: jams |
Kaç
|
Dried fruits | MEDICINAL: tea, for treating cold, fever, cough | ||||
Rubus idaeus L. (Rosaceae) |
Medra
| W | Fresh fruits | FOOD/MEDICINAL: consumed raw; syrup (sok*) and hoshaf* (dense thickened juice, diluted with water and drunk) are considered healthy |
Medr
|
Mjedra
| |||||
Malina*
| |||||
Dried leaves | MEDICINAL: tea, for treating cold | ||||
Rubus schleicheri Weihe ex Tratt. and other Rubus spp. (Rosaceae) |
Manaferra
| W | Fresh fruits | FOOD: consumed raw; jams |
Monca
|
Rumex acetosella L. (Polygonaceae) |
Gisilica*
| W | Fresh and dried leaves | FOOD: filling for pies (in the past leaves were dried and stored for the winter, then rehydrated in water and used as a fresh vegetable) |
Gasilica
|
Kiselica*
| |||||
Kisilica*
| |||||
Rumex patientia L. (Polygonaceae) |
Lepçeta
| W | Fresh leaves | FOOD: filling for pie (peta) | Lipgjet FOOD: consumed boiled with/in dhalt (kind of Albanian buttermilk) |
Salix alba L. and other Salix spp. (Salicaceae) |
Shelçe
| W | Fresh branches | HANDICRAFTS: weaved in diverse kinds of baskets (kosh*) | Shelçe MEDICINAL: steam baths for treating rheumatisms |
Salvia verticillata L. (Lamiaceae) |
Gamnash
| W | Fresh flowers | HONEY PLANT: The honey obtained from bees visiting the plant is considered very effective against bronchitis | |
Sambucus ebulus L. (Adoxaceae) |
Basdalina*
| W | Fresh leaves | MEDICINAL: topically applied against snake bites | |
Shtog i egër
| |||||
Sambucus nigra L. (Adoxaceae) |
Shtog
| W | Flowers | FOOD/MEDICINAL: syrup (sok*) considered a cough remedy (expectorant); sometimes also given to children affected by belly pains to drink |
Shtog
|
Fresh fruits | FOOD: syrups and jams | ||||
Wood | HANDICRAFTS: for building spindles* | ||||
Satureja montana L. (Lamiaceae) |
Lis
| W | Fresh flowers | HONEY PLANT | |
Secale cereale L. (Poaceae) |
Thekna
| C | Fruits | FODDER | Thekn FOOD: kurkurama - gruel made by rye, corn, wheat and beans |
FOOD: roasted, as a coffee substitute* | |||||
Dried fruits (grounded)→Flour | FOOD: in the past used for baking sourdough bread (bukë çerepi) -prepared adding dhallët (buttermilk) and fermenting 2–3 days - and also for pies | FOOD: buk thekninta – sourdough bread; buk e persiet – sourdough bread made by mixing rye, wheat, and corn flours | |||
Dried aerial parts (straw) | HANDICRAFTS: filling for horse saddles, pillows and mattresses |
--
| |||
Sideritis spp. (Lamiaceae) |
Çaj malit
| B (brought from the town pazar/market, presumably gathered from mountainous areas nearby) | Dried flowering aerial parts | MEDICINAL: tea for treating cold | |
Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae) |
Repa*
| C | Tubers | FOOD: traditionally consumed boiled with piprik e shtupun (see Capsicum annuum); fried, or roasted |
Kampire
|
Kompira*
| |||||
MEDICINAL: slices of a fresh tuber were externally applied on the forehead for treating headaches | |||||
Young leaves | FOOD: boiled and consumed as vegetables with buttermilk, or as filling for pies (especially in the past – however one elderly couple confirmed that they also consume them nowadays) | ||||
Syringa vulgaris L. (Oleaceae) |
Ergovan*
| C | Flowers | ORNAMENTAL |
Ergavan
|
Tanacetum vulgare L. (Asteraceae) |
Vratik*
| W | Dried flowering tops | MEDICINAL: tea, as a digestive; in the past, the decoctions were externally used for washing children affected by rubella or persons affected by hepatitis* – for this last use sometimes the decoction was also drunk | |
VETERINARY: considered poisonous for calves | |||||
OTHERS: placed in closets as a moth repellent | |||||
Taraxacum officinale Weber (Asteraceae) |
Bastë e egër
| W | Fresh leaves | FOOD: eaten in spring salads | |
Thymus serpyllum L. (s.l.) |
Lis Majçina dushnica*
| W | Aerial parts | MEDICINAL: tea, for treating cold and cough | |
(Lamiaceae) | |||||
Fresh flowers | HONEY PLANT | ||||
Tilia cordata Mill. (Malvaceae) |
Lipa*
| SD | Dried inflorescences | MEDICINAL: tea, for treating colds |
Blini
|
Fresh flowers | HONEY PLANT | ||||
Resin (smol*) | MEDICINAL: externally applied to skin inflammations | ||||
Trifolium spp. (Fabaceae) |
Detelina*
| W | Fresh flowers | HONEY PLANT; |
Trfonj
|
FODDER: for cows, it is considered a galactagogue (promoting milk production) | |||||
Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fabaceae) |
Gruni piprikes
| C | Dried aerial parts | FOOD: as an ingredient of the seasoning mix piprik e shtupun (see Capsicum annuum) | |
Triticum aestivum L. (Poaceae) |
Grur
| C | Fruits | FOOD | Gruni FOOD: kukurama - gruel made by rye, corn, wheat and beans |
Fruits (ground)→Flour | FOOD: bread and pies | FOOD: buk e ngjeshun – leavened bread; buk grunit – sourdough bread; buk e persiet – bread obtained mixing corn, rye, and wheat flours peçiv - kind of crusty bread, with a buttered inner part fli - a kind of crusty bread, made by several alternate layers of dough and butter, each layer is baked in sequence; koleç - bread made by diverse little bread units; ndurdhi - like fli, but with thicker layers, which are broken and finally dipped with melted butter bosa – a lacto-fermented beverage made with wheat flour, mixed with millet flour (or maize flour), which was boiled in water approx. 12 hrs.; the resulting mass was then knitted by hands and, after the adding of yeast, kept overnight, until it was dissolved in water; in the upper Reka, young men used to migrate to town as bosa producers and vendors in the Ottoman Empire | |||
Vaccinium myrtillus L. (Ericaceae) |
Shurshia të egra
| W | Fresh fruits | FOOD/MEDICINAL: consumed raw, and sometimes believed to be “healthy for the blood”; syrups and jams; the fresh fruits are nowadays gathered in the summertime in large amounts and sold to middle men from Gostivar |
Qyrshiat t egra
|
Baruk
| |||||
Borovnica*
| |||||
Dried leaves | MEDICINAL: tea, used for heart problems | ||||
Veratrum album L. (Melanthiaceae) |
Shtarë
| W | Roots | VETERINARY: decoctions, in external washes for treating lice in animals; root inserted in the horse’s breast for treating muscular blocks (horses can’t be ridden anymore) | Shtar VETERINARY: decoction of the roots was used for treating scabies in sheep |
Fresh leaves | VETERINARY: considered poisonous if animals consume them in large amounts (foaming at the mouth) | VETERINARY: Consuming large amounts of the leaves of the same plant was considered poisonous in sheep (foaming at the mouth), even very rarely lethal | |||
Dried leaves | OTHERS: smoked as tobacco substitute | ||||
Verbascum thapsus L. (Scrophulariaceae) |
Bubujak Brusla
| W | Fresh leaves | MEDICINAL: externally as an haemostatic |
Bubujak
|
OTHERS: used for covering butter, peppers with ricotta cheese, or lacto-fermented vegetables | |||||
Urtica dioica L. (Urticaceae) |
Kapriva*
| W | Fresh leaves | FOOD/MEDICINAL: consumed boiled (also in the past mixed with sorrel and potato leaves) or in soups, or as filling for savory pies – consumption of nettle is considered healthy as a “blood depurative” MEDICINAL: externally rubbed for treating rheumatisms |
Kopriva
|
Roots | FOOD: used in the past as rennet | ||||
MEDICINAL: decoctions are considered able to treat cancer and especially to relieve liver problems (decoction of the leaves and roots together) | |||||
Zea mays L. (Poaceae) |
Çenk Kolomoç Barsak
| C (white and yellow landraces) | Fruits | FODDER | Mçenk Kalamoç FOOD: kukurama - gruel made by rye, corn, wheat and beans |
Dried fruits (ground)→Flour | FOOD: buk kolomoçit - bread (traditionally leavened with buttermilk [dhallët]); ingredient of the seasoning mix bagrdar - polenta obtained boiling the flour for at least one hour on the fire, generally served with buttermilk (dhallët), or clarified butter (tlynë) or yogurt (kos) - esp. ewe yogurt (kos delje); alternatively, polenta is served with beans or potato soup; pies (peta), filled with various vegetables | FOOD: buk mçenkut – bread; buk pervlue – sourdough bread; pershenik- leavened bread; pershesh - pershenik dipped in buttermilk [dhalt] or yogurt [kos]) mçenka (like kukurama, but prepared with corn only); bagrdar or kaçamak me tlynë - polenta served with clarified butter | |||
FODDER | |||||
RITUAL: corn flour was brought to the Islamic spiritual guide (hoxha), who “wrote” something with this; this was considered essential for treating the evil eye of a member of the family | |||||
Various herbaceous species | W | Fresh stem | MEDICINAL: inserted into the anus, as a purgative | ||
Various tree species | W | Wood (burned) →Charcoal | MEDICINAL: used in the past in the ritual healing of the evil-eye: three pieces of hot coals were put in cold water; with the resulting water child face was washed (generally it has to be done by the first-born for his/her brothers/sisters; the first-born has to be treated by a neighbour) and the same water had to be drunk by the child or animal; depending on how the coal was dipped into water, this was also used for the diagnosis of the evil-eye – sometimes the water was given to the child in three spoons, which were then thrown behind the back; depending on how the spoons fell on the ground, the occurrence of the evil-eye was confirmed | ||
Ash | OTHERS: for washing clothes | ||||
Not identified |
Ferra magjara
| W | Leaves | FODDER: for donkeys | |
Not identified |
Kulosgjarpni
| W | Fresh flowers | VETERINARY: applied externally against snake bites in horses | |
Not identified |
Morava*
| W | Leaves | FOOD: filling for savory pies |
The linguistic features of the current ethnobotanical knowledge of the upper Reka Valley
Wild gentian vs. the white hellebore: a surprising cognitive “inversion”
Cross-cultural comparison
Other domestic remedies
Product (local name)
|
Local use
|
---|---|
Animal rennet (stomach of very young animals) (sirisht) | Used for producing cheese, but also as a starter for making yogurt#; anti-diarrheal |
Ants | Used in the past as a rennet substitute# |
Bear’s fat | Used externally for treating rheumatisms# |
Beer | One glass of beer, drunk, is considered healthy for the kidney |
Black piece of cloth | Tied onto cow’s neck or horns, as a protective amulet against evil eye# |
Bullet | Attached to clothes and worn as a protective amulet against evil eye# |
Buttermilk (dhallët) | Drunk as a post-partum reconstituent or for treating intestinal troubles and hypertension; used as starter for producing home-made yogurt |
Chicken | Cooked for a long time, until obtaining a gelatinous material, which is further cooked together with onions, corn flour and vinegar to create home-made soap# |
Clarified butter (tlynë) | Drunk for treating hypotension |
Clothes dressed on the wrong side | Protective amulet against evil eye# |
Coffee powder | Spoonful is ingested for treating hypotension; decoction (“Turkish coffee”) for hypotension; externally applied to cuts |
Copper sulphate | Used externally for healing lameness in sheep# |
Cow’s milk | Drunk in cases of constipation |
Cut | Cutting the ewe’s ear and letting blood coming out was considered an effective method for treating several sheep diseases# |
Dried sheep and cow’s faeces | Burned, the resulting smoke keeps the bees away while taking honey# |
Goat milk | Applied (warm) into the ear against earache# |
Gunpowder (barut) | Its odour is exposed to the nose of sleepwalkers, in order to bring them back to consciousness#; odour was also considered a repellent for werewolves# |
Hare’s meat | If consumed, believed to inhibit fertility# |
Honey (mjalt) | Consumed for improving blood circulation or as a post-partum reconstituent: Ingested for treating sore throats |
Knife | A knife placed under the pillow is considered preventive for sleepwalking# |
Leech | Applied externally for “sucking the bad blood”# |
Lemon | Drunk to treat hypertension; sometimes used in the past as rennet for making cheese# |
Match’s head | Topically applied for treating toothaches# |
Mother’s milk | Instilled in the ear for treating inflammations/earache |
Mud | Applied onto bee stings for pain relief# |
Oil | Ingested to treat constipation |
Pork fat | Externally used on burns# |
Propolis | Tea or macerate in raki used for treating cough/respiratory problems and intestinal discomforts (all of which are considered “new” uses) |
Ricotta cheese (gjizë) | Consumed, is considered “good for the blood” |
Royal gelly | Consumed for improving mental faculties (“new” use) |
Salt | Brought to the Islamic spiritual guide (hoxha), who “wrote something” with this# - this was considered essential for treating the evil eye of a member of the family; mixed with water, and the resulting solution instilled in the ear or eye for treating inflammations; mixed with hot water in external bathes for treating chilblains; |
Applied topically for treating toothache | |
Soap | A small piece inserted in the anus, as a purgative# |
Snow | Applied on the feet for relieving arthritic pains |
Starch | Ingested for treating diarrhoea |
Stone | Pressed on skin zone affected by the bee bite, in order to relieve the pain |
Sugar | Externally applied to cuts; mixed with water (sherbet) for treating stomach-ache; burned and ingested considered a medicine for sore throats |
Tobacco | Haemostatic |
Urin (human urine) | Externally applied on cuts#; drunk against hepatitis# |
Vinegar from honey (uthull dëgjetes) - produced at home fermenting in water honey and raw wax for a couple of weeks | Used as rennet#; Externally applied on the front or feet for treating fever; applied on the chest for treating bronchitis; applied on the belly of babies when crying or colicky |
Yogurt (kos) | Post-partum reconstituent |
Water | Drunk against high blood pressure; Fumigations of hot water (eventually heated by previously heated stone) for treating cold |
Whey (hirra) | Drunk as a diuretic, or against hypertension, or “to decrease fats in the blood” |
Wool | Raw sheep wool externally applied for treating bruises# |