In the forested highlands of Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines, Mingay Dakias knows exactly where to find medicine — not in modern health clinics but in the leaves, roots and vines that grow wild around his community. Taught by his father, who learned from the elders before him, Dakias brews certain plants into teas to treat stomachaches and mixes others with coconut oil to treat wounds and rashes. “For many common illnesses, these traditional remedies are really our first aid,” said 65-year-old Dakias, a member of the Manobo-Dulangan Indigenous community in Sultan Kudarat province. “We usually rely on these treatments first and only go to the clinic or hospital when an illness becomes very serious.” Dakias lives hours from the nearest paved road — much farther from a hospital. Like many Indigenous communities across the Philippines, the Manobo-Dulangan rely on forest medicine for everyday health care. This includes alingatong (stinging nettle, Dendrocnide meyeniana), a deciduous shrub whose broad, hairy leaves conceal a sting, yet locals mix it with coconut oil to create an ointment for easing muscle and joint pain, urinary problems and skin conditions such as eczema. But researchers say this knowledge system is increasingly at risk, not only from threats like deforestation but also from limited government efforts to formally document, support and integrate traditional medicine into national health and conservation programs. Locals mix alingatong (stinging nettle) with coconut oil to create an ointment for easing muscle and joint pain, urinary problems and skin conditions such as…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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