Caribbean Bees, Path to Nature, St. Lucia
Caribbean Bees, Path to Nature is a photography and video documentary project in collaboration with a fellow beekeeper and fourth-generation herbalist in St. Lucia in the Caribbean. Multiple projects and experiential happenings unfold throughout the lush, expansive landscape.
On the farm, the immersive work involves preparing coconut oil and wild-crafted medicine, foraging for food, tending to the gardens, caring for the bees, etc. Working within the local community, we prepare and deliver hand-crafted medicine, visit beekeepers, as well as present workshops on apiculture.
The Bees are essential to the health and prosperity of the farm. Their presence is seamlessly integrated into daily life, to the extent that the bees and humans cohabitate together. The layout of the rustic farmhouse blurs the boundaries between hive and house.
The Landscape is a part of an ongoing, ecological restoration project with the aim to restore the habitat of the native plants and trees so their populations can flourish.
The Wild Plants embody a rich history of the landscape and the people who have lived there for many generations. The secret life of the local flora was once common knowledge. Unfortunately, many of these plant communities are dissipating. The traditional knowledge of the local plants as food and medicine is often left in the hands of a few. Highlighting the secret life and history of these wild plants reinvigorates the connection we have to them. With intention, their history can once again become common knowledge.
