The legacy continues: Ethnobotanical knowledge of the Uzbekistan Koryoin

In the 1930s, Koreans residing in the Russian Far East were forcibly relocated to Central Asia by the Soviet Union, wherein they have subsequently become established as the Koryoin (Koryo-saram) community. Despite this displacement, whilst adapting to the new environment the Koryoin have maintained their Korean cultural traditions, resulting in a fusion of Korean and Central Asian ethnobotanical knowledge. The aim of this study was to document the ethnobotanical knowledge of the Koryoin in Uzbekistan and examine their ability to maintain traditional Korean practices whilst adapting to the Uzbek culture, through comparative analysis. We conducted a survey in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan, where a majority of the Uzbek Koryoin currently resides, among which 31 Koryoin respondents participated. Respondents identified 72 plant taxa across 28 botanical families, with the majority, comprising 51 taxa and 358 citations, used for food purposes. Medicinal plants accounted for 26 taxa and 95 citations, whereas 8 taxa with 51 citations were used for household/handicraft purposes. Among these plants, a large proportion are still actively used (53%), whereas 30% are currently used passively, with a smaller proportion (17%) tending to be only partially retained in cultural practices. The ethnobotanical knowledge of the Koryoin people is characterized by an amalgamation of Korean and Central Asian traditions, preserving Korean practices whilst adapting to the local flora and customs. Several plants have continued to be used in ways consistent with Korean traditional practices, although the Koryoin have progressively incorporated Central Asian species into Korean recipes and adopted local plants for use. Our findings emphasize the resilience of the Koryoin in preserving their cultural identity, despite the challenges presented by displacement and cultural assimilation.