Raivo Kalle
Biographic Data
| ID | 77056 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Raivo Kalle |
| GIVEN NAMES | Raivo |
| FAMILY NAME | Kalle |
| SIGNATURE | KALLE R |
| AFFILIATIONS | Estonian Literary Museum |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2175-8617 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 36 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 60 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 36 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2007 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
From the margins to the core
Ethnobiology was not only created as a field to understand the relationship between humans and their environments; it emerged from direct engagement with rural and Indigenous communities. Yet the great paradox is that, despite its field-based origins, the discipline continues to be reproduced within urban academic spaces that often exclude those who are assumed to be at the very heart of knowledge production. In this editorial, we do not simply p…
When minority language persistence is not enough
Local ecological knowledge is an essential element of the Alpine biocultural diversity and is often linked to minority languages. However, its continuity does not necessarily correspond to the persistence of these languages. This study investigates how knowledge of wild plants (and mushrooms) is transmitted and transformed among three minority-language communities in the Italian Alps: Cimbrian, Mòcheno, and Ladin speakers. Ethnobotanical data wer…
Socio-cultural motives drive free-range livestock farming in Estonia
Grazing in heritage grasslands supported by nature conservation subsidies is increasingly carried out by a new generation of livestock keepers who are establishing their own traditions. To effectively understand and communicate with livestock keepers, it is essential to consider their socio-cultural background and the motives underlying their decisions. We conclude that, when transitioning to an agroecological system, livestock keepers are strong…
I know a lot about medicinal plants. I read, I watch, and I search
The study suggests that medicinal plant knowledge has evolved here through hybridisation, a process whose consequences are context-dependent, offering opportunities for revitalisation but also a risk of displacement. Dialogic exchanges across families, communities, languages, and media expand people's plant repertoire and strengthen community adaptive capacity. Yet when these exchanges lead to excessive standardisation, they risk eroding the dive…
Human–nature relationships through the lens of reciprocity
In the context of climate change, biodiversity decline and social injustice, reciprocity emerges as a way of living and being in this world that holds transformative potential. Concepts of reciprocity vary and are enacted in specific cultural practices grounded in Indigenous and local knowledge systems. This editorial synthesises first‐hand evidence of how practising reciprocity can result in positive reciprocal contributions between people and n…
Commons are cared for
Local knowledge is an essential dimension of humanity's relationship with the environment. Investigating the interdependence between humans and wild birds holds value in fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with avian populations. Gathering bird eggs is a significant practice for Kihnu islanders in Estonia. There are very few studies of this age‐old, complex knowledge that assess the topic from the perspective of the local community. This…
Beekeepers as guardians of apitherapeutic knowledge in Estonia, SW Ukraine, and NE Italy
Background Bees have been important to people in Europe in many ways. Honey was the only sweetener available for a long time. The introduction of frame hives allowed for the collection of various hive products and better production of honey and wax. Only a few ethnomedicinal studies on apitherapy have been published in Europe, highlighting hive products that are collected, sold, or used by beekeepers. The aim of this article is to provide a gener…
Alien Trees and Shrubs with the Complements Saksamaa (Germany) and Saksa (German) in Early Written Language and Folklore
The study of alien species has become more and more relevant today. In particular, the influence of alien species on the local nature is studied, but more and more studies have also begun to appear on how alien species affect the local language and culture. In this article, we took a look at non-native trees and shrubs that have been called “Saksamaa” and “Saksa” [German]. Germany was synonymous with foreign countries in early literature. We inve…
Knowledge in motion
Background Understanding how Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) evolves over time is crucial for fostering social and environmental responsibility. This study aims to develop a conceptual model of plant knowledge circulation, providing insights into the temporal dynamics of LEK in the Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian border region. It explores the key patterns and driving forces behind changes in the use of wild plants for food. Methods Field research …
Searching for Germane Questions in the Ethnobiology of Food Scouting
In the past two decades, ethnobiologists have increasingly paid attention to the scouting and documentation of endangered corpora of local food elements and associated traditional knowledge. In this endeavor, food scouting encompasses the methodological tools used for mapping, inventorying, and documenting food and food-related resources. The growing body of research in this field is shedding light on the potentialities of these practices in obta…
Changements dans l’usage des plantes lors des rituels et des jours de fête sur l’île de Kihnu
Le nombre d’études consacrées à l’utilisation rituelle des plantes a augmenté ces dernières décennies. En 2021 nous avons fait un terrain ethno-biologique sur l’île estonienne de Kihnu. Comme l’étude des rituels en Europe orientale, c’est-à-dire dans des pays où dans la deuxième moitié du xxe siècle a dominé le socialisme, était de ce fait limitée, nous avons comparé nos données surtout à celles qui avaient été collectées dans les années 1930. Po…
The nexus between traditional foraging and its sustainability
Why the ongoing occupation of Ukraine matters to ethnobiology
Ethnobiology and ethnomedicine investigate the continuously changing complex and inextricable relations among culture, nature, and health. Since the emergence of modern ethnobiology a few decades ago, its essence and mission have been the study of biocultural diversities and the centers of its inquiries have been and are local communities and their co-evolutionary interrelationships between natural environments and social systems. At the core of …
Green pharmacy at the tips of your toes
BackgroundWhile the hybridization of ecological knowledge has attracted substantial attention from researchers, the coexistence of local and allopathic medicinal traditions in literate societies widely exposed to centralized schooling and medical services has not yet been investigated. To this end, we studied the current and remembered local ethnomedical practices of Setos and neighboring Russians at the border with Estonia.MethodsDuring 2018-201…
The name to remember
Our findings demonstrate that historical ethnobotanical data, if thoughtfully analysed, can be used not only for comparative purposes, but also for understanding the logic of preliterate thinking. We encourage future in-depth studies of historical ethnobotanical data in Europe in order to understand the relationship between nature and culture of native European populations
Just beautiful green herbs
BackgroundThe use of plants in rituals is a little explored corner of biocultural diversity which has developed through time within a complex socio-ecological system. Indeed, rituals are complex interactions between humans and biodiversity shaped by history, culture, and ethnic belonging. Yet, in Western Ukraine, such rituals were forbidden for over 50 years (1939-1991). The current revival of rituals by rural inhabitants is an untapped reservoir…
Inventing a herbal tradition
Historical ethnobotanical investigations could help to avoid creating repeating waves of popularity of plants that have already been tried for certain diseases and later abandoned as not fully effective. There is, of course, a chance that E. angustifolium could also finally be proven to be clinically safe and cost-effective for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, but this has not yet happened despite recent intensive research. Documented tradi…
Gaining momentum
We need to appreciate common synanthropic plants before they become rare
Local ecological knowledge holds great potential in contributing to sustainable resource management and conservation activities. For this reason, the authors choose to analyse an ethnobotanical dataset from the Baltic Sea region by exploring the relationship between plants and humans on the basis of three main categories: habitat characteristics, distribution in the wild and plant sensitivity to human impact beyond physical distance. The study pr…
Medicinal plant use at the beginning of the 21st century among the religious minority in Latgale Region, Latvia
Background: As identified by scholars, even when communities co-habit the same natural environment, there may be visible differences due to cultural factors, and thus local knowledge on medicinal plants evolves along with the culture. This paper addresses the complexity of medicinal plant use across different social groups situated in the same natural environment with a focus on a distinct religious minority: Old Believers.Methods: This paper cov…
The bear in Eurasian plant names
Ethnolinguistic studies are important for understanding an ethnic group's ideas on the world, expressed in its language. Comparing corresponding aspects of such knowledge might help clarify problems of origin for certain concepts and words, e.g. whether they form common heritage, have an independent origin, are borrowings, or calques. The current study was conducted on the material in Slavonic, Baltic, Germanic, Romance, Finno-Ugrian, Turkic and …
Multi-functionality of the few
BACKGROUND: This study examined the use of wild plants in the food, medicinal and veterinary areas within a small territory limited to one village council in the Liubań district of Belarus. The objectives of the research were to document the current and past uses of wild plants in this region for food and human/animal medication; to analyse the food, medicinal and veterinary areas in the context of wild plants; and to qualitatively compare the re…
Use of cultivated plants and non-plant remedies for human and animal home-medication in Liubań district, Belarus
BACKGROUND: To use any domestic remedy, specific knowledge and skills are required. Simple logic dictates that the use of wild plants in the context of limited interaction with nature requires prior identification, while in the case of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants this step can be omitted. This paper aims to document the current and past uses of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants in the study region for human/animal medication; …
Perceiving the Biodiversity of Food at Chest-height
Current and Remembered Past Uses of Wild Food Plants in Saaremaa, Estonia
Current and Remembered Past Uses of Wild Food Plants in Saaremaa, Estonia
Multi-functionality of the few
BACKGROUND: This study examined the use of wild plants in the food, medicinal and veterinary areas within a small territory limited to one village council in the Liubań district of Belarus. The objectives of the research were to document the current and past uses of wild plants in this region for food and human/animal medication; to analyse the food, medicinal and veterinary areas in the context of wild plants; and to qualitatively compare the re…
Just beautiful green herbs
BackgroundThe use of plants in rituals is a little explored corner of biocultural diversity which has developed through time within a complex socio-ecological system. Indeed, rituals are complex interactions between humans and biodiversity shaped by history, culture, and ethnic belonging. Yet, in Western Ukraine, such rituals were forbidden for over 50 years (1939-1991). The current revival of rituals by rural inhabitants is an untapped reservoir…
The use of teetaimed in Estonia, 1880s–1990s
This research contributes to a better understanding of the criteria used for the selection of plants for making beverages. Worldwide, not only the leaves of Camellia sinensis, but also various other plants are used for making tea. We argue that the selection of plants for making tea (in Estonian teetaimed) depends on specific features possessed by or attributed to the plants. 54 plant taxa and one lichen were identified as being used for making t…
Gaining momentum
Use of cultivated plants and non-plant remedies for human and animal home-medication in Liubań district, Belarus
BACKGROUND: To use any domestic remedy, specific knowledge and skills are required. Simple logic dictates that the use of wild plants in the context of limited interaction with nature requires prior identification, while in the case of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants this step can be omitted. This paper aims to document the current and past uses of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants in the study region for human/animal medication; …
Knowledge in motion
Background Understanding how Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) evolves over time is crucial for fostering social and environmental responsibility. This study aims to develop a conceptual model of plant knowledge circulation, providing insights into the temporal dynamics of LEK in the Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian border region. It explores the key patterns and driving forces behind changes in the use of wild plants for food. Methods Field research …
Why the ongoing occupation of Ukraine matters to ethnobiology
Ethnobiology and ethnomedicine investigate the continuously changing complex and inextricable relations among culture, nature, and health. Since the emergence of modern ethnobiology a few decades ago, its essence and mission have been the study of biocultural diversities and the centers of its inquiries have been and are local communities and their co-evolutionary interrelationships between natural environments and social systems. At the core of …
The bear in Eurasian plant names
Ethnolinguistic studies are important for understanding an ethnic group's ideas on the world, expressed in its language. Comparing corresponding aspects of such knowledge might help clarify problems of origin for certain concepts and words, e.g. whether they form common heritage, have an independent origin, are borrowings, or calques. The current study was conducted on the material in Slavonic, Baltic, Germanic, Romance, Finno-Ugrian, Turkic and …
Naturaliseerunud ravimtaimed etnobotaanika vaatenurgast. Hariliku katkujuure, hariliku siguri, aedvaagi, aed-mädarõika, hariliku seebilille ja lõhnava kannikese näitel
The paper gives an overview of six plants, naturalized in Estonia: butterbur (Petasites hybridus), chicory (Cichorium intubus), elecampane inula (Inula helenium), horseradish (Armoracia rusticana), soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) and sweet violet (Viola odorata).The approach to their naturalization is based on ethnobotanical rather than biological qualities. The first disseminators of foreign plants were merchants. The earliest cultivators may h…
Rahvapäraste taimenimede seosed botaanilise nomenklatuuriga Herbas
Teesid: Historistlik Eesti Rahvameditsiini Botaaniline Andmebaasi (HERBA, http://www.folklore.ee/herba) on koondatud taimede humaanravis kasutamist kajastavaid primustekste alates 2006. aastast. Praeguseks on sisestatud arhiivitekstid aastani 1939 ehk oletatavalt veidi alla poole koguhulgast. Taimenimetuste identifitseerimisel tekstides on suuresti aluseks Gustav Vilbaste monograafia Eesti taimenimetused (1993
Herbal Landscape
This contribution investigates the idea of herbal landscape, associated with a personal perception of landscape as a source of materia medica. The herbal landscape can be divided into specific smaller units according to several natural and cultural boundaries. This explains why the original knowledge of plants gleaned by one set of inhabitants may be clearly distinguished from that of close neighbors. The natural boundaries are, for example, the …
Sissevaade eestlaste ravimtaimede tundmise mitmekesisusse
The article probes the knowledge of Estonians in terms of medicinal plants, proceeding from the origin of the relevant knowledge. We have differentiated local and global knowledge. The concept of locality is closely related to indigenous plants and the knowledge thereof within the community. It is intrinsic of the local knowledge to combine tworeciprocal criteria: first, the plant name is characteristic of a particular region (village, former par…
Change in medical plant use in Estonian ethnomedicine
Wild food plant use in 21st century Europe
The aim of this review is to present an overview of changes in the contemporary use of wild food plants in Europe, mainly using the examples of our home countries: Poland, Italy, Spain, Estonia and Sweden. We set the scene referring to the nutrition of 19th century peasants, involving many famine and emergency foods. Later we discuss such issues as children's wild snacks, the association between the decline of plant knowledge and the disappearanc…
The use of teetaimed in Estonia, 1880s–1990s
This research contributes to a better understanding of the criteria used for the selection of plants for making beverages. Worldwide, not only the leaves of Camellia sinensis, but also various other plants are used for making tea. We argue that the selection of plants for making tea (in Estonian teetaimed) depends on specific features possessed by or attributed to the plants. 54 plant taxa and one lichen were identified as being used for making t…
Plants used for making recreational tea in Europe
This paper is a review of local plants used in water infusions as aromatic and refreshing hot beverages (recreational tea) consumed in food-related settings in Europe, and not for specific medicinal purposes. The reviewed 29 areas are located across Europe, covering the post-Soviet countries, eastern and Mediterranean Europe. Altogether, 142 taxa belonging to 99 genera and 40 families were reported. The most important families for making herbal t…
Where does the border lie
An ethnobotanical perspective on traditional fermented plant foods and beverages in Eastern Europe
Sibul, kadakas ja küüslauk – toidutaimed ja regionaalne toidukultuur Eestis
kulinaarse smboli -Peipsi-rne sibul, Saaremaa kadakas
Perceiving the Biodiversity of Food at Chest-height
Current and Remembered Past Uses of Wild Food Plants in Saaremaa, Estonia
The bear in Eurasian plant names
Ethnolinguistic studies are important for understanding an ethnic group's ideas on the world, expressed in its language. Comparing corresponding aspects of such knowledge might help clarify problems of origin for certain concepts and words, e.g. whether they form common heritage, have an independent origin, are borrowings, or calques. The current study was conducted on the material in Slavonic, Baltic, Germanic, Romance, Finno-Ugrian, Turkic and …
Multi-functionality of the few
BACKGROUND: This study examined the use of wild plants in the food, medicinal and veterinary areas within a small territory limited to one village council in the Liubań district of Belarus. The objectives of the research were to document the current and past uses of wild plants in this region for food and human/animal medication; to analyse the food, medicinal and veterinary areas in the context of wild plants; and to qualitatively compare the re…
Use of cultivated plants and non-plant remedies for human and animal home-medication in Liubań district, Belarus
BACKGROUND: To use any domestic remedy, specific knowledge and skills are required. Simple logic dictates that the use of wild plants in the context of limited interaction with nature requires prior identification, while in the case of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants this step can be omitted. This paper aims to document the current and past uses of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants in the study region for human/animal medication; …
Inventing a herbal tradition
Historical ethnobotanical investigations could help to avoid creating repeating waves of popularity of plants that have already been tried for certain diseases and later abandoned as not fully effective. There is, of course, a chance that E. angustifolium could also finally be proven to be clinically safe and cost-effective for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, but this has not yet happened despite recent intensive research. Documented tradi…
Gaining momentum
We need to appreciate common synanthropic plants before they become rare
Local ecological knowledge holds great potential in contributing to sustainable resource management and conservation activities. For this reason, the authors choose to analyse an ethnobotanical dataset from the Baltic Sea region by exploring the relationship between plants and humans on the basis of three main categories: habitat characteristics, distribution in the wild and plant sensitivity to human impact beyond physical distance. The study pr…
Medicinal plant use at the beginning of the 21st century among the religious minority in Latgale Region, Latvia
Background: As identified by scholars, even when communities co-habit the same natural environment, there may be visible differences due to cultural factors, and thus local knowledge on medicinal plants evolves along with the culture. This paper addresses the complexity of medicinal plant use across different social groups situated in the same natural environment with a focus on a distinct religious minority: Old Believers.Methods: This paper cov…
The name to remember
Our findings demonstrate that historical ethnobotanical data, if thoughtfully analysed, can be used not only for comparative purposes, but also for understanding the logic of preliterate thinking. We encourage future in-depth studies of historical ethnobotanical data in Europe in order to understand the relationship between nature and culture of native European populations
Just beautiful green herbs
BackgroundThe use of plants in rituals is a little explored corner of biocultural diversity which has developed through time within a complex socio-ecological system. Indeed, rituals are complex interactions between humans and biodiversity shaped by history, culture, and ethnic belonging. Yet, in Western Ukraine, such rituals were forbidden for over 50 years (1939-1991). The current revival of rituals by rural inhabitants is an untapped reservoir…
Changements dans l’usage des plantes lors des rituels et des jours de fête sur l’île de Kihnu
Le nombre d’études consacrées à l’utilisation rituelle des plantes a augmenté ces dernières décennies. En 2021 nous avons fait un terrain ethno-biologique sur l’île estonienne de Kihnu. Comme l’étude des rituels en Europe orientale, c’est-à-dire dans des pays où dans la deuxième moitié du xxe siècle a dominé le socialisme, était de ce fait limitée, nous avons comparé nos données surtout à celles qui avaient été collectées dans les années 1930. Po…
The nexus between traditional foraging and its sustainability
Why the ongoing occupation of Ukraine matters to ethnobiology
Ethnobiology and ethnomedicine investigate the continuously changing complex and inextricable relations among culture, nature, and health. Since the emergence of modern ethnobiology a few decades ago, its essence and mission have been the study of biocultural diversities and the centers of its inquiries have been and are local communities and their co-evolutionary interrelationships between natural environments and social systems. At the core of …
Biology (23 works) · Geography (23 works) · Ecology (20 works) · Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies (15 works) · Ethnobotany (14 works) · Medicinal plants (12 works) · Sociology (11 works) · Taxon (9 works) · Biodiversity (8 works) · Botanical Studies and Applications (8 works)