Trinidad and Tobago’s rich and diverse cultural heritage extends far beyond its vibrant music and flavorful cuisine. Deep within its traditions lies a treasure trove of natural remedies and wellness practices — the use of bush teas. These teas, brewed from locally grown plants, are celebrated for their medicinal properties, comforting flavors, and cultural significance.

At Tamana Wellness Center, our herbal heritage program invites the public and guests to explore the history, uses, and benefits of these beloved teas.

Here’s a guide to some of the most popular bush teas in Trinidad and Tobago, along with their traditional uses:

• Local Use: Known for its bitter taste, zebapique is a go-to remedy for colds, fevers, and digestive issues.

• Traditional Belief: Consumed for its purifying effects on the blood.

• Local Use: A soothing tea for relieving stress, aiding digestion, and easing headaches.

• Botanical Highlight: Lemongrass is renowned for its pleasant citrusy aroma and calming properties.

• Local Use: Often associated with its culinary uses, it’s brewed to help with stomach ailments.

• Local Use: Boiled as a tea for colds, digestive problems, and to promote relaxation.

• Folklore: Considered a comforting remedy for respiratory issues.

• Local Use: Crushed leaves are steeped for a tea said to help with hypertension and colds.

• Traditional Role: Symbolizes healing in many folk practices.

• Local Use: A popular blood cleanser and remedy for skin ailments.

• Taste: A strong, bitter brew — not for the faint-hearted!

• Local Use: Consumed for its antimicrobial properties and used to combat intestinal parasites.

• Holistic Role: Known to strengthen the immune system.

• Local Use: A herbal tea for colds, coughs, and respiratory ailments.

• Cultural Value: Often burnt as incense for its aromatic properties.

• Local Use: Known as “holy basil,” tulsi is consumed for stress relief and overall immunity.

• Spiritual Role: Revered in Hindu culture for its spiritual and medicinal benefits.

• Local Use: Known for breaking fevers and as a calming evening tea.

Exploring the Herbal Legacy at Tamana

At Tamana Wellness Center, our goal is to preserve and celebrate this rich herbal heritage. Through our program, visitors will have the opportunity to:

• Learn the Science: Explore the botanical properties and benefits of each herb.

• Experience the Tradition: Taste traditional teas and understand their cultural contexts.

• Connect with Nature: Stroll through our herbal gardens and see these plants growing in their natural habitat.

The bush teas of Trinidad and Tobago represent the resilience, creativity, and deep connection to nature that defines our culture. As we blend the past with the future, Tamana Wellness Center is proud to share these remedies with the world, creating pathways to wellness and reverence for our natural resources.

Join us in embracing this vibrant legacy—sip, learn, and heal.