Description
The Encyclopaedia of Rootical Folklore: Plant Tales from Africa and the Diaspora by Natty Mark Samuels is a richly researched celebration of African and diasporic plant wisdom. Blending folklore, oral history, and botanical storytelling, this volume explores the cultural, spiritual, and practical roles of plants across African traditions and the communities shaped by migration and resilience.
Rather than presenting a purely scientific herbal, this encyclopaedic work centres narrative — the stories, beliefs, and lived experiences that surround roots, leaves, seeds, and flowers. It highlights how plants have been used in ritual, protection work, healing practices, and everyday survival, while honouring the cultural contexts from which these traditions arise. Each entry weaves together folklore and function, offering readers insight into the deeper symbolic lives of plants.
This hardcover book is particularly meaningful for those interested in rootwork, diasporic spirituality, ancestral practice, and ethnobotany. It encourages respectful engagement and cultural awareness, reminding readers that plant magick is inseparable from the histories and communities that carry it forward. The tone is educational and reverent, making it suitable for both dedicated practitioners and those expanding their understanding of global folk traditions.
Ideal for altar libraries, herbal study, and cultural research, this encyclopaedia stands as both reference text and storytelling archive. It pairs naturally with herbal apothecaries, rootwork tools, and ancestral offerings, supporting deeper appreciation of plant allies within African and diasporic spiritual frameworks.
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