Archivi tag: ramy

Aromatherapy, Aromatic resins, Botanical perfumery, Emotional Aromatherapy, In English, Materia Viva in English

Materia Viva n.11 – Kua Myrrh

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

This time the thread leads to northern Kenya, where Samburu women gather kua myrrh, Commiphora kua, picking off with their fingers the drops that the tree lets out by itself. Here kua is never cut: what the plant offers is what is taken, and the tree stays whole. For a long time this resin ended up anonymous in sacks, mixed with more common myrrhs. Today it has begun to be recognized and gathered separately, and that small gesture of separation makes it identifiable and brings those who harvest it an income of their own.

On the nose it surprises anyone expecting myrrh: in place of the bitter, earthy base, sweet notes of wood and vanilla and a balsamic touch, almost velvety. It is a relative of Omumbiri from Namibia, another Commiphora that carries with it the gesture of the women who gather it.

Discover more about Materia Viva – and if you love resins, the previous issue is on Ramy, a resin from Madagascar.

The ezine is an editorial project supported by private funds, and you can receive a free PDF copy. For every detail on the project and on how to support it, write to us through the WhatsApp button on the site or by email: professionefelice@gmail.com

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