Threads of Southern Italian Herbalism for May Day
https://sites.smith.edu/mayday/
Notes for Presentation on Southern Italian Herbalism for May Day–
I have edited this slightly to read well but please keep in mind it was written to present orally. The monographs included are not meant to be comprehensive, rather digestible for an audience of varying herbal skill levels listening to a discussion.
Intention—
Discussion on Herbalism through a Southern Italian lens—particularly in regard to radicalism, anarchy, and collective care—by engaging in the ancient practice of sharing about a few medicinal plants growing right here on the land were on so that participants can come away from May Day feeling connected, curious, inspired, and empowered.
Grounding us in time & space—
Today in the year 2025, after circa 500 years of capitalism, as we experience the rise of fascism and the decline of an empire desperately trying to persist—we exist in a country where healthcare is incredibly inadequate and inaccessible and the powers that be will call herbalism alternative medicine while they continue to co-opt it for their gain. The global herbal medicine market is currently a multi-billion dollar industry. But History and we know that Herbalism is not an alternative, it is the original. Herbalism is a science that arose from common peoples' relationship with our shared home. It is the main form of health care for people around the world to this day and has been for a very long time.
Often today when people, particularly in the United States, teach others about herbalism, they will tout it as being an inherently radical practice. In a world of late stage capitalism that has successfully separated so many of us from the land, I understand the tendency to view and present it this way. But I have to push back—Herbalism isn’t inherently radical, as it has been practiced throughout time and across the world by people of all social classes and means. For example, the Nazis loved herbalism. There was an experimental herb garden at Dachau concentration camp which was the largest medicinal herb garden in Europe at the time. The garden was part of the Nazis’ efforts to reduce medical costs and find the cheapest herbal remedies in anticipation of the war. They tested the remedies on the people they were keeping in the camp. While that’s an example on the extreme end of things, examples abound of capitalism’s co-option of the peoples medicine. Herbal products that originated with common people globally are now made industrially and sold back to us at a premium. The wellness industry, of which herbalism is a part of, is constantly preying upon our insecurities and desperately trying to sell us shit we don’t need from far away places picked by people who make nothing for their work. What makes herbalism radical is HOW we choose to practice it, and that begins with how much we’re willing to dig up. The beautiful thing is it’s not complicated and way more accessible than the average price point. It’s really as simple as starting where you are by learning the plants of your peoples traditions and those of your local ecosystem and forming a bond with them.
Notes on language—
Southern Italian Herbalism aka Medicina Popolare or Medicine of the People. This is often translated to folk medicine today which is understandable but much is lost in this translation and it is not typically used in Italy.
I personally choose to use herbalism over folk medicine—because our ancestors were practicing herbalism and while I have no issue with the term folk, it is not culturally accurate. I also think it’s important to acknowledge that it often carries a negative or demeaning connotation, as if to denote practices that people did before they knew more or better. So I use the term herbalism when speaking of the plant medicine practices of my ancestors to infuse some respect into our legacies but also to be precise. I think one of the many reasons to keep our culturally specific herbalism alive is because the herbalism of our ancestors was multifaceted and ecologically rooted. The medicinal practices of herbalism came from peoples direct relationships with their land and the plants and the observations that arose from long term experience interacting with plants and people—we have long known what modern day scientific studies are only beginning to prove.
Notes on Cultural Herbalism—
Southern Italian Herbalism is far from a codified system, much more like a constellation. It is an umbrella term for the multitude of ways people across Southern Italy work with plants medicinally and the many healing practices that arise from our relationship with the land. Southern Italy and specifically Sicily is a crossroads of many cultures throughout time and this is evident in the diversity of herbal traditions. Because Italy is a young country that is highly regional, there are many variances of herbal practices across these regions that deserve preservation in their unique expression (something I’m working on). The knowledge I hold on these practices comes from my experience growing up with Southern Italian herbalists in my family, my formal apprenticeship with Sicilian herbalist Eleanora Sanguedolce, the time I’ve spent throughout Southern Italy observing herbalism as it is currently practiced, and field work I have been doing over the past 5 years interviewing and recording the practices of those continuing these ways today both throughout Southern Italy and amongst the diaspora (more to come on this). I believe in upholding local lineage rather than succumbing to the cultural diffusion that so often occurs today, and I think that can be done while also recognizing and naming the threads that run through the many regional practices. Below is a non-exhaustive list of the threads I have personally observed and experienced.
Pillars of & Threads that connect the herbalism practices of Southern Italy—
–Inseparable from the land
–Inseparable from our food ways
–Inseparable from a mystical worldview
–Inseparable from class struggle and how we preserve and tell our own stories
–Is an all encompassing way of life—how we birth, live, and die
–Is in acknowledgment of & bonded with the living world (Animistic worldview)
–Is rooted in a seasonal and cyclical nature of health and understanding that the wild plants that grow each season are often the plants best able to support us for that time
–Is an Earth rooted spiritual practice—these medicine ways arise directly out of the bonds we form with the living world around us. How our ancestors, often without access to literacy and school, observed and communicated with the life around them.
–Accessible in that we utilize what is locally available and abundant
–Simple because of its accessibility and because of its origins in Peasant culture
–Rooted in culture Caring & Sharing (term from Lucia Chiavola Birnbaum)
–Rooted in ethos of taking only what we need, never excess
–Rooted in preventative approach–i.e. the emphasis on using tonic herbs which are herbs that support our overall well being. Tonic herbs are meant to be used regularly over a long period of time, in order to support the body to stay in balance.
–Connection with Earth and each other as antidote
–Significance and healing potential of dreams
–Emphasis on hands on each other for healing
–Slow pace of life (long meal times, middle of the day break, most important part of life NOT work)
–Movement i.e. cultural norms such as passeggiata
–Also in healing and ecstatic dances such as pizzica & many other regional dances
–Whole Plant Medicine–working with the whole body of plant parts as opposed to isolated extracts of the modern day industry. The great news of this is that it offers a real antidote to the wellness industry of isolated extracts. So often these extracts don’t deliver what we’re expecting of them because they’ve been isolated from their whole and no longer contain the checks and balances and synergy of the intelligent plant they come from.
–Health & Beauty in diversity—in what we consume, in the myriad of plants we work with, in the polyculture way of growing, and the diversity amongst practice by region
–Forms of Medicine—
Eaten as food (bitters embraced)
Infused in Water to drink or bathe in
Infused in Oil for topical application
Ointments made from the oil infusions also for topical application
Infused in Spirits to make Elixirs or Cordials—exs including Amaro, Nocino, Rosolio
And though these are all specific to Southern Italian Herbalism, so many of these threads transcend cultural borders and are present throughout the traditional herbal practices of cultures around the world. For me and many others, the most medicinal aspect of working with plants is just being with them. Observing our similarities, constantly being reminded that we too are children of the earth. So that’s what I’d like to share with you today. I'd like to introduce you to a handful of common plants often dismissed as weeds which are incredibly effective foods and medicines and which grow abundantly all over the world. Each of the three plants we’ll be discussing are often thought of as people plants in that we have a longstanding deep relationship with them that spans all aspects of our lives from food and medicine to fibers. Where you find people, and especially where you find environmental disruption by people, you find these plants and not because we're planting them–they show up.
Nettle & Burdock Soap
The Plants—
Nettle or Stinging Nettle/ Ortica
Latin Name
Urtica Dioica (North American)
Plant Family
Urticaceae
Etymology
Urtica comes from latin Urere meaning “to burn” which points us to the result of its sting which causes a burning sensation (which interestingly can be relieved by applying the leaves of yellow dock or jewelweed which typically grow nearby)
Habitat
Native to North America, Europe & Asia and naturalized in temperate areas worldwide (grows everywhere except Antartica) Often present on farms, especially old/ abandoned ones, in areas with fertile soil (its presence contributing to the health of soil through remineralization), fields, hedges and edges of woodlands, along rivers and lakes.
Energetics & Taste
Salty, dry, cool internally, warm topically
Medicinal Actions
Antioxidant (protects cells from free radical damage), Antihistamine, Anti-inflammatory, Alterative (blood cleansing) Astringent (tightens tissues), Diuretic (eliminate excess fluid & salt), Hemostatic (stops bleeding), galactagogue (increases breast milk production). Nutritive with high concentration of Vit A, C, K and rich in Iron, chlorophyll, calcium, chromium, magnesium, zinc and generous stores manganese, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, protein, riboflavin, selenium, silicon, thiamine, polyphenols. Seeds specifically are a kidney trophorestorative (restorative to kidneys) and adrenal tonic indicated with severe exhaustion. Nettle is the most nutritious plant in the world that we know of, it blows our dark leafy greens conventionally thought of to be mineral-rich, such as kale and spinach, out of the water nutritionally.
Uses
We therefore use Nettle to treat Anemia, poor circulation, arthritis relief, seasonal allergies, inflammatory skin conditions, regulate heavy menstrual bleeding/ to ease and prevent UTI’s and kidney stones. Beyond using for these specific purposes–Nettle is a powerful tonic herb, and used on a regular basis for its nutritive value and blood building capacity.
The sting itself is medicinal. What look like hairs along the stalk and leaves of Nettle are trichomes which have little silica tips that come off when touched or brushed up against. When these silica tips fall off, Nettle releases a variety of chemicals including: oxalic acid, formic acid, tartaric acid, as well as neurotransmitters histamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin. Throughout history and across cultures, where you find Nettle you also find a practice called Urtication, whereby people intentionally sting themselves to relieve pain, inflammation, and promote circulation. The process entails harvesting enough nettle to hold in a small bundle and gently hitting yourself on the area of your body you’re looking to treat. After hitting the area you brush the bundle over the area to maximize the release of chemicals onto the area. This can be done just a few times or for several minutes. The relief lasts anywhere from a few to several hours and can be repeated as often as needed.
Nettle is for everyone. Regular consumption of Nettle provides the energy needed to persist amidst struggle, steadies nerves, and increases life force. Nettle helps build strong bones and muscles, and increases our capacity to pay attention and focus. Nettle is therefore deeply supportive for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Drinking nettle infusion and eating the fresh greens helps prevent postpartum hemorrhage and improves the quality and quantity of breast milk. Regular use of nettle helps maintain even blood sugar levels. It is a plant that benefits everyone and is indicated when there are general or vague health complaints as often these typically result from vitamin and mineral deficiencies which Nettle swiftly remedies.
In Southern Italian Herbalism
We first and foremost eat Nettle just as we would any other green, as much as we can each spring when its young and tender because of how much more nutritious it is than the greens we can grow and buy. Sauteed, in soups, incorporated into pasta dough or in pasta dishes, risotto, frittata, in the fillings of stuffed pasta like tortellini, ravioli, etc. We also drink it in herbal infusions—infusions being teas that are steeped for a long time–anywhere from a couple hours to overnight. We also infuse Nettle in Olive Oil for skin and hair care where it thickens and gives hair a distinct shine when used overtime, especially as a last rinse after washing. Growing up my great grandma, who I learned to make soap from, made a Nettle & Burdock soap which I still make today.
Dandelion (Tarassaco, dente di leone, and many more names across Southern Italian regions)
Latin Name
Taraxacum officinale
Plant Family
Asteraceae (Daisy)
Etymology
Latin dens leonis meaning lions teeth in reference to the plants toothed leaves
Habitat
Native to Europe and Asia, naturalized throughout temperate regions (grows on every continent except Antarctica) and similarly to other spring plants like Nettle, doesn't do well in extreme heat so will go dormant in the height of summer in areas like Florida, Hawaii, etc. Found abundantly in lawns, fields, roadsides. Often grows straight up through the cracks in sidewalks, concrete, and any other place you wouldn't imagine a little plant could burst through. Dandelions thrive in soil rich in potassium and nitrogen. Their presence is a good indicator for growing other plants that need these nutrients. Dandelion have deep taproots that can travel through the hardest packed clay and create more fertile soil by its ability to pull up nutrients from deep in the earth, collecting them in the leaves, which die back in the fall and deposit the minerals and organic matter to the topsoil. The decaying roots create tunnels which bring in earthworms and beneficial microbes along with aerating the soil to allow for rain to better penetrate. If any bit of root is left in the soil when harvested, Dandelion grows back easily.
Important note on habitat—
Unfortunately we live in a time where many people in the United States do not like this plant. I’m sure this is partly due to Americans' weird fixation on lifeless lawns as a status symbol and is certainly perpetuated by pesticide producers who often feature Dandelions on their products as a suggestion for what to use their poison on. The reasons go on I’m sure. Because of this, Dandelion are often referred to as “invasive”. This however is inaccurate as plants that are considered invasive have to meet a criteria to be considered such. This includes being not native to the land they are considered invasive on, and having a tendency to outcompete or displace native plants in their native habitats, among other things. Dandelion does not outcompete native plants, one of the key criteria to be considered invasive, and therefore is not.
Energetics & Taste
cool and dry; bitter
Medicinal Actions
Tonic, Antioxidant, Alterative (blood cleansing), Bitter, Nutritive, Hepatic (support liver function by decongesting as well as supporting bile flow), Digestive stimulant, Diuretic (especially the leaf) Flowers are trophorestorative. Rich in Potassium, Vitamins A, B, C, D and K; Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, and many other trace minerals
Uses
Dandelion is common, abundant, and incredibly nourishing. A wonderful example, along with Nettle, of the seasonality of herbalism practices where we recognize how often the Earth presents us with exactly what we need each season as both Dandelion and Nettle come up in early Spring and are incredible Spring tonics, helping us to revitalize and wake our bodies up/ rejuvenate the liver. Regarded as a great liver tonic, and used around the world for that purpose, dandelion root stimulates the flow of bile from both the gallbladder and the liver. Because of its support of our liver it is often indicated for people with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. It is a bitter herb, namely its roots and leaves, and is therefore incredibly beneficial for digestion by helping our bodies to produce bile and digestive enzymes which help us better absorb and assimilate the nutrients from the food we eat, soothe gas and bloating, maintain healthy blood sugar levels, relieve heartburn, upset stomach, and nausea. Dandelion is a powerful diuretic. Conventional diuretics can deplete the body of potassium, whereas Dandelion being high in potassium actually leaves us with a net gain of potassium while still helping to eliminate excess fluids and salt but not leaving us with an electrolyte imbalance conventional diuretics often do. Not too long ago bitter foods were a mainstay in diets around the world, and still are in many places. Because Bitter foods have intentionally been bred out of the SAD diet, as well as diets around the world in other industrialized nations, I always encourage them to people in the states. Incorporating bitters into your diet can be as simple as eating wild bitter greens like dandelion leaves, raw or cooked, and/or taking a bitter tincture before eating. Dandelion root (tinctured or infused in vinegar) is a reliable appetite stimulant. It is best when taken just before meals. Dandelion root possesses considerable blood nourishing abilities. Its rich stores of potassium help ensure a healthy heart. Regular use of dandelion root lowers cholesterol and brings down high blood pressure. Infusing nutritive plants like Dandelion and Nettle in Vinegar is a go to as vinegar is a good way to extract and preserve the high mineral content of these herbs whereas alcohol does not extract minerals well.
In Southern Italian Herbalism
Similarly to Nettle and many other plants, in Italy we first and foremost eat this plant–particularly the leaves and flowers. The leaves can be used as you would any other green—they are very commonly cooked and eaten as a side dish with meals or added to soups. The flowers are often added to salads raw or lightly breaded and fried and eaten as fritters. The flowers are dried and infused in olive oil to use topically as a moisturizer and are particularly helpful and soothing for joint pain and stiffness and tender breast tissue–they are often paired with violet for this purpose. In my experience the roots are often left for the season and dug in the fall and then tinctured or dried and roasted for teas.
Mugwort pictured top right
Mugwort, Altamiza
Latin Name
Artemisia Vulgaris
Plant Family
Asteraceae
Etymology
Name origins unclear–many connect its use as an ingredient in beer and liquors as the reason for its name. Artemisia as genus name arose from the plants in this genius being used for gynecological purposes and therefore being given the name of the Greek Goddesses of childbirth. Furthermore Artemis is associated with the moon and silver underside of Artemisia’s are as well. Chernobyl is the local name for Mugwort in Ukraine and the city is named after the plant which continues to thrive in the exclusion zone.
Habitat
Native to Eastern Asia, Europe, Northern Africa, and Alaska–naturalized in the Americas and considered invasive in some areas. Roadsides, hedges, wastelands.
Energetics
Warming, Aromatic, Bitter, Spicy
Medicinal Actions
Analgesic (relieves pain), anti-depressant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, antispasmodic (relieves muscle spasms particularly in digestive tract), aphrodisiac, mild stimulant, nervine, emmenagogue (stimulates menstrual flow) Abortifacient (aids in abortion)
Uses
First and foremost Mugwort is a longstanding culinary herb in Asia and Europe where the young leaves and buds are used in soups, dressings, salads, and stir fries. In Korea the herb is used in rice cakes, teas, soups, and pancakes. It is used sparingly as it is quite bitter–which is also of course why it is used and how it strengthens the digestive and nervous system. Used throughout history and across regions for indigestion, intestinal worms, and anxiety. It has a very important history in TCM as the herb used in moxibustion which is a practice of burning the dried leaves of Mugwort and applying the heat and smoke to acupuncture points. This ancient therapy is renowned for alleviating pain, boosting circulation, and addressing various health concerns, including turning breech babies. This historical and ongoing use really attests to the profound uses and nuance of this plants capacities–where it is both gentle and powerful and displays a real affinity for the female reproductive system. As an emmenagogue it has been used for centuries to promote healthy menstrual cycles and stimulate menstrual flow. So its not just that you use this herb and immediately get your period, it works in much more complex way that serves to balance and promote healthy regular cycles. That being said, it is also an abortifacient, and therefore does contain the capacity to bring on menses to serve this purpose, but it takes knowledge and specific targeted application at particular doses above and beyond what someone would use if employed for another reason.
In Southern Italian Herbalism
I chose to share about this plant today despite it not growing here for a number of reasons: it is abundant and many would argue too abundant in our region so it is a plant I encourage people to work with and harvest freely without having to worry about disrupting habitats. I also just really love this plant and have had a deep bond with it throughout my life and so can really speak from experience and to the multitude of ways it's utilized in Southern Italian Herbalism. There’s a longstanding tradition of using Mugwort, often in combination with Wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium) which starts at birth and continues throughout life for spiritual and physical support with challenges. It starts at birth in a myriad of ways–first with the mother as support during the end stages of pregnancy and birth, and then is used as the first herbal bath for the baby. It is utilized for anxiety and promoting deep sleep for people of all ages, often relying on its aroma solely–by drying the leaves and flowers and putting them in a sachet or by making an aromatic medicinal water of it known as hydrosol. Artemisia Ointment has been made throughout Southern Italy for at least several hundred years and typically includes Mugwort and Wormwood together infused in oil then made solid with the inclusion of beeswax and has a few uses, namely–for pain relief rooted in soreness and rheumatism and menstrual cramps. The ointment is rubbed onto sore muscles and joints, the abdomen for menstrual and intestinal cramps, the hands for carpal tunnel, and anywhere else you have tendonitis or joint pain. It is also utilized in herbal baths for pain relieving purposes. As mentioned above, it is an abortifacient and has been used in Southern Italy for this purpose. I’m of course not sharing this to suggest anyone attempt to use this plant in this way without the guidance and support of an experienced herbalist. I share it to be historically accurate and to also add to the public dialogue which too often only includes the voices of herbalists who don't have experience working with plants this way and therefore default to the modern day party line of herbal abortions being ineffective or too dangerous when that is historically inaccurate.
I feel strongly that all three of the plants discussed today are plants of our time in that they have a lot to offer the ails of today–where many are food insecure due to the rising costs of food coupled with the lower nutritional density due to industrial agriculture and depletion of our soils. Abundant wild greens like Nettle and Dandelion are free for the taking. And where so many of us have anxiety about the state of our world and are in pain, emotional pain and physical pain, we can form bonds with plants like Artemisia that can provide a source of connection and lift our spirits just by taking in their aroma or doing something as simple as drying their leaves and flowers, infusing them in oil and applying them to our bodies for moisture, armor, pain relief.
Reflections after the event—
To quote (paraphrase) something Gabriella said at the event: Nature is inherently anarchist. And we are nature. Plants do not acknowledge borders. Nor do they prefer to grow only with their own kind. Left to themselves they bestow their seeds to the wind, grow freely and abundantly in cultures made up of many other kinds of plants. We have so much to learn from them and they truly love and support us. To practice herbalism radically is to become a part of your local ecosystem. To learn about the plants that grow abundantly around you, to interact with them, to harvest them and share them with your people. We are all capable of supporting ourselves with herbs without having to fall into the trap of buying whatever the latest unethically made trendy product is. And of course there is nothing inherently wrong with buying herbal products to support yourself, but try to find the small herbalists in your community, state, country who more often than not are offering much higher quality products than the average large company and at a lower cost. But know that you come from people who supported themselves with plants they grew, or foraged, and preserved themselves and the connection that comes from engaging with the world this way is a big part of the medicine plants have to offer us.