Folk food and medicinal botanical knowledge among the last remaining Yörüks of the Balkans

Abstract

The present study examines the current lifestyle of the last remaining Balkan Yörüks, a small and isolated group found within the Republic of Macedonia, and the modern representatives of an important portion of the Balkan nomads. The aim of this study was to document knowledge concerning local wild food plants and wild and cultivated medicinal plants, and to compare the Yörük ethnobotany with that of similar, more or less isolated ethnic groups occurring in the Balkan region (Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, and Turkey) in order to assess how cultural adaptation processes may have affected Yörük plant folklore. We conducted this study by means of detailed, semi-structured interviews with 48 key informants.Sixty-seven plant taxa were recorded from 55 genera, based on the compilation of more than 150 reports relating to medicinal, food, forage, ornamental, and dye plants, as well as some elements relating to animals and minerals. Our field study data show several major ethnic boundary markers that contribute to the homogeneity of the community and also distinguish it sufficiently from the surrounding society: (i) well-isolated locality; (ii) local dialect and endogamy; (iii) casual clothing worn by women; (iv) ceremonial jewelry: a necklace of cloves (Syzygium aromaticum); (v) Sempervivum marmoreum as an only ornamental plant which also has a medicinal use; and (vi) Mentha spicata as the dominant culinary herb, which has a medicinal use too. Comparison of the collected ethnobotanical data with that of similar, more or less isolated ethnic groups in the Balkan region shows that overlapping taxa include mainly plants whose fresh fruit are used; both nuts as well as edible greens. These plants are simultaneously used for medicinal purposes too, as home remedies, but in very different ways to other ethnic groups.Yörüks represent a remarkable cultural group in the Balkans. This community has nomadic traditions, but nowadays the people have a settled lifestyle. Traditional knowledge remains strong and is retained within a well-defined cultural boundary.

From the sea to the mountains - plant use in Ajara, Samegrelo and Kvemo Svaneti, Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus

“…Overall the research region showed a lower species number in comparison to a wide variety of studies published from other parts of Europe. The number of food species was low in comparison to other areas in the wider Mediterranean and Caucasus (Carvalho 2016;Dolina et al 2017;Hajdari et al 2018;Kasper-Pakosz et al 2016;Korkmaz et al 2016;Mattalia et al 2020;Melián et al 2017;Mustafa et al 2020;Nedelcheva et al 2017;Oztürk et al 2018;Polat et al 2017;Pawera et al 2017;Pieroni and Cattero 2018;Pieroni andSõukand 2017, 2019;Pieroni 2017;Pieroni et al , 2020Savo et al 2019;Sõukand et al 2017Sõukand et al , 2019Sõukand et al , 2020Yeşil et al 2019), and the number of medicinal species also was lower than in comparative studies (Pieroni and Sõukand 2017;Nedelcheva et al 2017;Melián et al 2017;Sõukand et al-2017;Carvalho 2016;Polat et al 2017;Kasper-Pakosz et al 2016;Korkmaz et al 2016a;Dolina et al 2017, Korkmaz et al 2016bHajdari et al 2018;Oztürk et al 2018;Pawera et al 2017;Pieroni 2017;. The low variety of fungal species used as food was astonishing, especially when compared to other adjacent areas in Georgia, e.g.…”

Traditional Knowledge of Wild Edible Plants of Biga (Çanakkale), Turkey

“…It is claimed by some sources that certain food plants identified by us for the area are also used in other regions of Europe (Benítez et al, 2017;Biscotti & Pieroni, 2015;Dénes et al, 2012;Dolina & Łuczaj, 2014;Dolina et al, 2016;Łuczaj et al, 2013Nedelcheva et al, 2017). Species shown by these studies to be consumed cooked or as a salad include the following; Amaranthus sp.…”

“…(Dolina & Łuczaj, 2014;Nedelcheva et al, 2017), A. acutifolius (Biscotti & Pieroni, 2015;Dolina et al, 2016;Łuczaj et al, 2013), C. album (Dolina et al, 2016;Łuczaj et al, 2013, M. sylvestris (Nedelcheva et al, 2017), P. rhoeas (Benítez et al, 2017;Biscotti & Pieroni, 2015;Dénes et al, 2012;Dolina & Łuczaj, 2014;Łuczaj et al, 2013), P. oleracea (Biscotti & Pieroni, 2015;Dénes et al, 2012;Dolina et al, 2016), Urtica sp. (Benítez et al, 2017;Biscotti & Pieroni, 2015;Dénes et al, 2012;Dolina & Łuczaj, 2014;Dolina et al, 2016;Łuczaj et al, 2013Nedelcheva et al, 2017), R. acetosella (Dénes et al, 2012;Łuczaj et al, 2015;, R. patientia (Dénes et al, 2012), and R. pulcher (Dolina et al, 2016;Łuczaj et al, 2013, and these results closely resemble our own findings. Species whose fruit are shown to be consumed either raw or as jam by these same studies include: A. unedo).…”

“…Cornus mas, which is known as "Drenka" in the villages of Biga occupied by Balkan immigrants, is variously called "Dren, " "Drenka, " "Drenjula, " "Drenjulvić, " "Drenulika, " "Drenutka" (Dolina et al, 2016), "Drenjina, " "Drjen" (Dolina & Łuczaj, 2014), and "Drinina, " "Drinjina, " "Dren" (Łuczaj et al, 2013) in the Balkans. Urtica urens is known as "Kupriva" in Biga, and remarkably, U. dioica is known as "Kopriva" (Dolina & Łuczaj, 2014;Dolina et al, 2016;Łuczaj et al, 2013) and "Kopresh" (Nedelcheva et al, 2017) in the Balkans. Urtica dioica and U. urens are generally known to the public by the same vernacular names.…”

“…Crateagus monogyna, which is known as "Gogiç" in Biga, is called "Glog cerveni, " "Glogovići, " "Glogoviki, " "Glogujka" (Dolina et al, 2016) in the Balkans. The vernacular names "Kruşka" and "Krusha" are given to P. elaeagnifolia and Pyrus sp., respectively (Nedelcheva et al, 2017). Additionally, the names "Dibje kruškice, " "Divlja kruška" (Dolina et al, 2016), and "Divlja kruška" (Łuczaj et al, 2013) are given to P. amygdaliformis, and therefore represent the genus Pyrus in general.…”