Lecture | Kupala Herbal Series: Ukrainian Canadian Folk Medicine and Rituals with Dionne Jennings

A talk by Dionne Jennings

When our early Ukrainian ancestors arrived on the prairies of Turtle Island, they brought with them knowledge of folk medicine from Bukovyna and Halychyna, adapting these practices to the plants and herbal medicines indigenous to the region. This lecture delves into the health challenges faced by settlers and explores the traditional medicines they utilized to address them.

In this online lecture leading up to Ivana Kupala, Winnipeg-based Ukrainian Canadian community herbalist Dionne Jennings discusses various folk healing practices, including herbal medicine, wax pouring (known as ‘strakh vylyvaty’), and bone setting. She explores healing techniques for both physical and ‘non-physical’ or psycho-spiritual ailments, examining the impact of colonization on cultural folk medicine practices. Additionally, Jennings highlights culturally significant plants for Ukrainian Canadians, both historically and in contemporary times.

Recorded on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 7:00 PM CST.