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born to be wild
Born and raised on the gorgeous, emerald Placencia peninsula of Belize ("back-a-bush" as we call it), life in my tiny village of Seine Bight was full of adventure and wonder. During hot summers when school was out, I always knew that there would be countless surprises and outdoor activities waiting for me to enjoy!
When I was a lee pickney, I was attracted to doing things that were deemed "un-girly" - climbing up mango trees, 'whip out' with the boys on fishing trips out at sea, or even venturing out to the lagoon at 6 years old in search of manatees. The people I admired were the rastas, the artists, and the healers in my village. Their way of life was fascinating to me - they exuded confidence in their craftsmanship & beliefs, and lived out their spiritual and creative journeys freely. That energy is what I wanted to hone and be, and for me that meant one thing -- I was going to live on the wild side and become someone to carry on the torch of my ancestors before me... a bush doctor!
Over the years, what I have discovered I love most about the energy of being wild is the freedom I feel when I think about running free in the jungle amongst the plants and exploring all the possibilities nature has to offer.
garifuna = family
The culture I grew up in was all about family - us taking care of each other - and growing up in a place like Belize gave me experiences in an environment that was surrounded by plants & trees, wild animals, the jungle, the caves, the reefs, and along with it a great sense of wonderment at how powerful and beautiful nature can be.
In my village, we lived as a Garifuna community. Most of us lived together with extended families of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and throughout our tiny community, we were all neighbors who knew each other's family intimately, no matter how many feet apart we lived. I grew up being very curious about the bush doctors in my village and the "obeah" women that were called in for special purposes to channel spirits for energy to heal.
My grandmother (Ma) kept glass bottles of seeped herbs, mostly bitters, in dark corners around our house, and I would always see Ma and my aunts using some of the herbal tinctures to heal cuts and burns, but also using other types of herbs to make tonics and aged rum. A staple and powerful herb you will still find in many Garifuna villages today that's been passed down from generations is called gifiti. This ancient herb carries so much of my heritage and a beautiful discovery to the healing power of one of the oldest form of healing in the world.
going back to my roots
When I first started thinking about creating a lifestyle that fully embodies me at all times, it meant going straight to the core of that inner little girl back there in the jungles of Belize, discovering the names of plants, exploring their uses and their role in the ecosystem of life. And just like my ancestors and the bush doctors before me, I find myself being naturally attracted to the art of herbalism because as I discovered early on as a child, plants and nature, in general, gives us everything that we need to thrive.
I feel in my soul it's my calling to live a life that is deeply rooted in herbalism so that I can inspire and empower others to discover their own power to heal themselves mentally, physically and spiritually, all through our connection with plants.
INSPIRE EVERY PERSON TO BLOSSOM INTO their own flower;
FOR THE FLOWER IS THE MOMENT WE LIVE.
Over the years in my quest to understand the meaning of life, I was inspired by the famous Brazilian chef Alex Atala's epiphany in his quest for the meaning of life through the lens of a flower's circle of life.
In a flower's circle of life -- a seed becomes a plant; that plant has a flower; the flower transforms in to a fruit; the fruit drops and there's another seed; the seed then grows in to a plant again.
You see... if it wasn't for that flower, there would be no fruit; therefore, no seed to form a new plant to continue the circle of life.
With this understanding, it's become very clear to me that my life's mission is to live up to my name Fern (a flower), and continue the circle of life by inspiring others to enjoy the many uses of herbs, their endless versatility, and the value of plants in our daily lives and environment.
Through my own cultural experiences, herbal training & education, including many herbal infusions later, I'm delighted to share with you some of the ways plants and Mother Nature show up and make a difference in my life. I'm looking forward to hearing how these paths can blossom in your lives too and cultivate herbal creativity as you build your own personal and lifelong relationship with plants and nature.
With love and gratitude,
Fern
MY VALUES & BELIEFS
NATURE IS MY CORE
NATURE SUSTAINS LIFE
“Our very humanness depends on them, and in return, they depend on us. To deny this is to deny our part in the great web of life. Their out-breath is our in-breath, our exhale, their inhale.”
NATURE IS MY CORE NATURE SUSTAINS LIFE
— Stephen Harrod Buhmer
CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY
“It's vitally important to me that I am an active contributor to helping change the world by protecting life and sustaining wildy alive ecosystems for our planet, our people, our culture, and our heritage.”
CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY
— Fern (me :)
COMMUNITIES BRING US TOGETHER
“Humans and Nature share a dynamic relationship. Look after the environment, and it will look after you.”
COMMUNITIES BRING US TOGETHER
— the lovely founders of Chaa Creek, Belize