Scent, Memory, and Identity in Caribbean and Latinx Contexts
Aerosol. Photo by Jochi Melero.
Respira conmigo.
Inhala…
exhala...
Does the space from where you are reading this have a particular smell?
Respira de nuevo.
This exercise invites you to actively engage with your olfactory environment, a sensory realm that often goes unnoticed in our daily lives. Familiar scents evoke memories and signal shifts in our surroundings—the smell of pan recién horneado, the comforting aroma of el cafecito de la tarde, or the familiar sharpness of eucalyptus in Vicks VapoRub. These scents are more than just fleeting sensations; they embody daily rituals that anchor us to place, memory, and cultural heritage.
Across disciplines, research highlights scent’s profound ability to trigger autobiographical memories—often called the Proustian effect—while shaping social and cultural relationships. If scent can transport us across time and space, why do we rarely pause to interrogate the structures that define and regulate our sensory experiences? Who determines which scents we preserve, celebrate, or erase? And how do these decisions reflect broader systems of power?
“Botánicas have long served as repositories of olfactory knowledge in the Caribbean and the United States, preserving and transmitting cultural practices that challenge dominant sensory paradigms.”
Within this expansive field of study, I explore the olfactory traditions of Caribbean and Latinx communities to uncover the politics embedded in scent—the ways it carries histories of migration, colonialism, and resistance. This recognition invites us to reassess how these communities cultivate olfactory traditions over time as a means to preserve them and as a way to “articulate” with the past. It also calls for a critical engagement with the power structures that shape and mediate our sensory worlds.
To understand how scent operates as both a personal and cultural archive, it is essential to consider the historical and epistemological frameworks that have shaped the sensory hierarchy in the Americas. This hierarchy, which privileges sight and text over other senses, was solidified during the 17th century in Europe—a transformative period that redefined narratives of dominance and order through textual and visual regimes of knowledge production, often aligned with colonial and asymmetrical power structures. Within this context, alternative sensory epistemologies—particularly those rooted in olfaction—have persisted and evolved. Botánicas have long served as repositories of olfactory knowledge in the Caribbean and the United States, preserving and transmitting cultural practices that challenge dominant sensory paradigms. These spaces resist the marginalization of smell as a valid mode of knowing and function as counter-archives that foreground embodied, spiritual, and communal knowledge systems. In Puerto Rico, the contemporary artistic intervention of the collective La Escuela del Olor exemplifies this reclamation. The group reimagines the archive through olfaction by focusing on the island’s distinctive scents, offering a multisensory reengagement with its history, ecology, and collective memory. As recent scholarship in sensory studies and decolonial theory demonstrates, scent can potentially subvert established hierarchies of perception and open up ancestral, nonlinear ways of understanding cultural identity and historical experience.
As the edited collection Empire of the Senses illustrates, scent has played a crucial role in human survival, influencing mate selection, kinship, and interactions with the natural environment. Beyond its biological function, the history of scent shares a connection with social and sensory hierarchies, as well as notions of power, health, and spirituality. For instance, Roman nobles used perfumes not only as markers of status but also in sacred rituals, a practice that later became embedded in Catholic traditions—demonstrating how scent has long functioned as both a personal and institutional tool of influence and devotion.¹
By the early modern period, scent became a powerful signifier of social and moral values, shaping beliefs about the body and corruption. For example, floral scents symbolized purity and good behavior, while foul odors signified moral decay and evil spirits. Within this hierarchy of smell, examples in literature pointedly observed the continuous association of odors, with social class becoming a physiological marker of difference.² In addition to shaping religious and social relations, these sensory distinctions also influenced political and economic strategies, particularly during European global exploration and colonial expansion, when olfactory perceptions played a role in justifying systems of power and domination.
During the 15th century, European travelers documented new flora and their properties, often classifying unfamiliar scents within known frameworks. This practice reflects what Mary Louise Pratt terms the “contact zone,” where European epistemologies attempted to contain and define the unfamiliar within preexisting categories. For instance, Christopher Columbus described a yam he encountered in November 1492 as having “a smell like chestnuts,” demonstrating an effort to domesticate the unknown through sensory comparison.³ Such descriptions functioned as acts of linguistic and epistemic colonization, aligning new world substances with European referents, thereby asserting control over their meaning and significance.⁴
In 17th-century Jamaica, English colonizers reinforced their authority over the landscape through carefully curated scents, which calmed unsettled soldiers and maroon communities while erasing Indigenous taxonomies. This sensory control was key in reinforcing colonial narratives, portraying the Americas as a territory to be assimilated and dominated.
However, as Andrew Kettler explains in “A Delightful Fragrance,” the role and status of odors underwent a significant change in Europe at the turn of the century. During the Enlightenment, scientific models emphasized the deodorization of scents. Advances in medicine and pharmacology increasingly advocated for the elimination of bodily odors, introducing antiseptic fragrances as symbols of hygiene and modernity. This shift contrasted with earlier hygienic practices of the 16th and 17th centuries, which relied on pomander formulas—blends of nutmeg, cloves, rosemary, cinnamon, rose, and ambergris— that household manuals and medical treatises recommended as protective against disease and foul air.
While Enlightenment ideals prioritized the suppression of scent in Europe, this rationalist approach was not universally adopted. In the colonial Americas, an alternative scientific perspective persisted—one shaped by Indigenous and African traditions that embraced a more synesthetic and holistic approach to botanical knowledge. This enduring creole methodology of scent-based healing and spiritual practice found a lasting presence in spaces such as botánicas, which serve as olfactory archives. Within these establishments, the scents of herbs, oils, and candles function as vessels of cultural memory and ancestral medicinal and spiritual knowledge across generations.
“Valued especially for their freshness and authenticity, [botánicas] created una migración de aromas, a chain that remains unbroken today. ”
The origins of botánicas closely relate to migration patterns in New York City. Initially catering to African American and English-speaking West Indian communities, these establishments underwent a shift in the 1940s as Latin Caribbean and Latin American migrations surged. With this demographic change, the term “botanical” evolved into “botánica,” reflecting the Spanish-speaking community’s increasing reliance on these spaces for spiritual relief amid the challenges of adaptation.⁵ As a result, these establishments historically imported products from Caribbean and South American countries. Valued especially for their freshness and authenticity, they created una migración de aromas, a chain that remains unbroken today. Popular hierbas like albahaca (basil), romero (rosemary), abre caminos, and rompe saraguey serve both medicinal and spiritual purposes. Some of these I grew up knowing first hand—my mother and abuela would rub my head with romero oil for headaches or cook with lots of albahaca to help open up my lungs. But beyond these home remedies, estas hierbas carry even deeper power. Botánicas embody the religious syncretism of the Americas or creole religions—blending European, African, and Indigenous influences, with herbs playing a central role.
Abrecaminos, rooted in Indigenous and Afro-Caribbean traditions, removes obstacles, while rompe saraguey conjures up Elegguá, the Orisha of crossroads. Albahaca, revered in both Santería and Christianity, is for cleansing baths, while romero, known for its protective properties across cultures, appears in ritual baths and Vodou ceremonies. These plants are more than just remedies—they are vessels of spiritual and ancestral knowledge, connecting generations through scent, touch, and ritual.
Beyond herbs, votive candles contribute to the olfactory experience of botánicas. Their warm wax scents, infused with sacred oils, carry prayers and intentions. Often adorned with saintly images, these candles symbolize protection, purification, and spiritual guidance. Amid mingling scents, botánicas serve as apothecaries of cultural memory, bridging ancestral traditions with contemporary practice.
The hybrid nature of botánicas allows immigrant communities and practitioners to assert their identity by reinterpreting cultural symbols in response to new challenges. Although this blending can dilute original meanings, it encourages reflection on how meanings evolve. For instance, botánicas tailor their offerings to their surrounding communities’ cultural and spiritual needs. In Miami, some may stock more items for Palo and Vodou rituals, while those in the Northeast might feature displays of Indian deities. On the West Coast, statues of La Virgen de Guadalupe and Catholic votive candles are more prominent. These variations reflect the diverse Latinx, Indigenous, and Afro-Caribbean populations they serve, illustrating how botánicas function as dynamic cultural spaces that evolve alongside their communities.
This fluid interplay between scent, identity, and cultural adaptation extends beyond botánicas into other social spaces—for instance, contemporary artistic explorations of olfactory heritage. As someone in the diaspora, I am always seeking ways to reconnect with my island home, often through artworks. However, I have come to recognize that other senses, like taste and scent, hold a similar power to evoke its presence.
Founded in the summer of 2019, La Escuela de Olor aimed to foster artistic practices and build a community centered on the rich diversity of scents from the Caribbean, emphasizing that scent is a pillar of Puerto Rican and Caribbean heritage. “The smells that we are used to smelling in perfumery are generally smells that come from other places,” says artist Adelaida Ortiz Chiqués. “Yes, a rose perfume, let a rose grow here, fine. Still, we are not in the habit of having a rose bush like that where there is a scent present in our lives as Caribbean people, as people who live in Puerto Rico. We were curious to think in terms of that perspective, that is, what the perfume or smells of PR would be.”
The collective’s artistic practice highlights how scent operates as a repository of collective memory, engaging communities in olfactory storytelling and smell walk. This unexplored project, halted because of the onset of the pandemic in 2020, seeks to gather and reflect on the predominant aromas of the island. For example, the combination of salt and lard of Piñones brought by the sargasso at the beach and the alcapurrias y bacalaito kiosks. Maybe a comparison of the memory- and emotion-evoking responses from residents and exchanging stories and perceptions of the place and the community itself. Before COVID-19, La Escuela hosted a series of workshops where participants learned to distill scents from fruits, bark, and flowers, creating a transformative educational experience, as well as open dialogues about the intersections of scent with professionals in various disciplines—neuroscientists, embalmers, and local floriculturists.
In 2022, an artistic revival occurred with the activation of Aerosol and El Archivo Viviente, two exhibitions that transcend traditional art to explore culture, spirituality, and the evocative power of scent. At the heart of Aerosol, presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) in Santurce, are the concepts of libation and ablution—rituals that, across various religious traditions, symbolize purification and spiritual preparation. This installation extends beyond visual experience, inviting participants to engage in their senses and reconnect with peripheral traditions.
The scent crafted for Aerosol blends juniper berries, coriander, angelica seeds, and cedar, encapsulating the cleansing rituals within the Caribbean’s sensory heritage. Inadvertently shaped by artist Anais Melero’s heritage and her relationship with botánicas, the installation serves as a bridge and subtext for preserving and challenging dominant narratives of religious expression. “I have always gone to botánicas because my dad is Babalawo, and those smells—incense, copal, and candles—are strange and potent,” Melero explains.
“That connection to Melero’s heritage informed the installation at the MAC because it is a way to reclaim the intangible cultural heritage that shapes our beliefs—one that has long been stigmatized and misunderstood,” artist Chaveli Sifre adds.
El Archivo Viviente. Photo by Jochi Melero.
El Archivo Viviente. Photo by Jochi Melero.
However, while presenting Aerosol, the artists maintained a deliberate neutrality while conveying profound meaning. Those familiar with cultural references will find resonance, while others may be left questioning. As the artists note, “Those who understand will recognize it; we didn’t want it to feel exploitative because being too explicit can strip away the magic.” By embracing subtlety, the artist collective preserves the work’s enigmatic quality, allowing visitors to immerse themselves openly in a personal and multisensory experience.
Overall, La Escuela invites audiences to explore the profound connections between scent, culture, and personal stories through this endeavor. Aerosol continues to diffuse at the MAC during specific times of the day as part of the museum’s “permanent” collection. In parallel, La Escuela continues its work on El Archivo Viviente, a dynamic and collaborative gathering of scents, personal narratives, and historical accounts. El Archivo is a living archive centered on the raw materials of places and people as a means to counter a colonial legacy that has frequently marginalized these practices. Currently, La Escuela continues to document the smells of Puerto Rico, shedding light on often-overlooked spaces where olfactory traditions persist. Eventually, this Archivo will be accessible.
El Archivo Viviente. Photo by Jochi Melero.
Contemporary art and museum practices are increasingly integrating scent, challenging the traditional emphasis on visual art and introducing an “olfactory gaze” to our relationship with artworks. This shift expands the sensory dimensions of artistic engagement but also invites us to redefine how cultural narratives are preserved and experienced. The exploration of scent as a cultural archive extends beyond the personal and symbolic; it carries tangible implications for communities, artists, and society. Much like botánicas in the United States, which have long served as healing spaces addressing social issues such as migration, assimilation, and limited access to medical care, scent-based practices create spaces of resilience and resistance. These sites are inherently political, fostering community while challenging systems of oppression and discrimination.
By actively engaging with our sense of smell, we not only uncover overlooked histories but also develop sensory languages that articulate the complexities of Latinx and Caribbean identity, recognizing scent’s political force. Increasingly, olfactory landscapes are synonymous with cultural heritage, with some nations, such as Switzerland and France, granting legal protection to rural scent-scapes. These legal and cultural frameworks underscore the potential for recognizing Caribbean and Latinx social spaces as olfactory patrimonies—essential narratives of identity and heritage that deserve preservation and further research. Finally, I invite you to consider the smells that inform your everyday—how do they connect to your culture and history?
Respira una vez más.
¹ Septimus Piesse, G. W., The Art of Perfumery. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015. Pp. 1-3.
² Howes, David. (ed.) Empire of the Senses, Routledge, 2021. Pp. 10.
³ Kettler, Andrew. “‘Delightful a Fragrance’: Native American Olfactory Aesthetics within Eighteenth Century Anglo-American Botanical Community.” Howes, David. (ed.) Empire of the Senses, Routledge, 2021. Pp. 232.
⁴ Mulry, Kate. “The Aromas of Flora’s Wide Domains: Cultivating Gardens, Aromas, and Political Subjects in the Late Seventeenth-Century English Atlantic.” Howes, David (ed.) Empire of the Senses, Routledge, 2021. Pp. 296.
⁵ Murphy, Joseph M. Botanicas: Sacred Spaces of Healing and Devotion in Urban America. University Press of Mississippi, 2015. Pp.16.