Cultural Parallax and Ethnobotany

Abstract

We will describe our project on Ho-Chunk ethnobotany in a narrative form implicating our roles in the research process. Out initial intention was to understand the cultural and scientific link between traditional, medicinal plant uses and contemporary Ho-Chunk women's health issues. This work included quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Our four initial research methods were making a map of American Indian sites and original vegetation cover along the Wisconsin River, a table of local plants within the lower Wisconsin Riverway and their medical values, a study of Ho-Chunk cultural aspects of healing, interviews with women to gain insight on health issues. We carried on the quantitative methods but we shifted our intention due to ethical conflicts that arose during the interview process. This shift led to new research goals and arguments. To explain this shift we use the model of stellar parallax and finally we analyze the research using environmental ethics and surveys of identity politics.