Archivi categoria: Aromatic resins

Resins are the drops that trees and shrubs release by themselves, gathered one by one by skilled hands. Each resin is followed here through the landscape where it grows, the gesture of those who harvest it, the history it carries and the scent it releases in smoke and on the nose. From kua myrrh to Omumbiri, from Ramy to benzoin, a path through ancient and living materials.

Aromatherapy, Aromatic resins, In English, Madagascar, Materia Viva in English

Materia Viva n.10 — Ramy, the resin of Madagascar

Each issue of Materia Viva begins with an aromatic material and follows it the way one follows a trail: not only its scent, but the landscape, the history, the gestures, the images and the words that material carries with it.

ramy canarium madagascariense

This time the thread leads to Madagascar, to the coasts where Ramy grows — Canarium madagascariense, one of the giants of the rainforest, able to reach nearly forty metres in height and two in diameter. It is a tree that lets itself be gathered while walking: the resin flows out on its own along the trunk, and whoever passes by takes a little, in a gesture the local people themselves describe as ordinary. The wood, on the other hand, almost always remains intact. Ramy is among the least felled trees, often the only one left standing in a ploughed field, spared even when firewood is needed.

If you love resins, you may read Materia Viva about Sumatra Benzoin.

The ezine is an independent editorial project, supported by private funding, and you can receive a free PDF copy. For any details about the project and how to support it, write to us via the WhatsApp button on the site or by email: professionefelice@gmail.com

Aromatherapy, Aromatic resins, Botanical perfumery, Emotional Aromatherapy, In English

Finding your inner strength back – the Omumbiri resin

The Himba people live in north-west Namibia, in the Kunene region. In these places people and plants live alongside a great aridity. One of the local plants that gives a resin with a deep and interesting fragrance is Commiphora wildii, known as Omumbiri.

Local projects exist to collect and distill Omumbiri and other plants, yet the raw resin is the easiest form to find, and it is easily appreciated in fumigation.

Omumbiri is usually collected and used by women. The resin is mixed with animal fat and red ochre earth to form a paste that is applied to the skin. According to tradition, this preparation protects the skin, regenerates it and heals.

The resin has a pungent, fresh, almost intoxicating scent, joined by a deep, calming note that keeps us centred and grounded. It is an ideal scent for moments when we need an inspiring force and a fragrance that helps us be present in the here and now, restoring our breath and supporting us in finding our inner strength.

If you like aromatic resins and especially myrrhs, have a look at Materia viva, the aromatic ezine about Kua Myrrh.