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Muti
Muthi is a traditional medicine practice in Southern Africa as far north as Lake Tanganyika. Name In South African English, the word ''muti'' is derived from the Zulu language, Zulu/Xhosa language, Xhosa/Northern Ndebele language, Northern Ndebele ''umuthi'', meaning 'tree', whose root is ''-thi''. In Southern Africa, ''muti'' and cognates of ''umuthi'' are in widespread use in most indigenous African languages as well as in South African English and Afrikaans, which sometimes use ''muti'' as a slang word for medicine in general. This noun is of the ''umu''/''imi'' class so the singular ('tree') is ''umuthi'' and the plural ('trees') is ''imithi''. Since the pronunciation of the initial vowel of this class is unstressed, the singular is sometimes pronounced ''muthi''. The word is rendered as ''muti'' by the historical effects of the British colonialism, colonial spelling. In colloquial English and Afrikaans the word ''muti'' is often used to refer to medicines in general or me ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inyanga
Traditional healers of Southern Africa are practitioners of traditional African medicine in Southern Africa. They fulfill different social and political roles in the community, including divination, healing physical, emotional and spiritual illnesses, directing birth or death rituals, finding lost cattle, protecting warriors, counteracting witchcraft, and narrating the history, cosmology, and concepts of their tradition. There are two main types of traditional healers within the Nguni, Sotho-Tswana, and Tsonga societies of Southern Africa: the diviner (''sangoma''), and the herbalist (''inyanga''). These healers are effectively South African shamans who are highly revered and respected in a society where illness is thought to be caused by witchcraft, pollution (contact with impure objects or occurrences) or through neglect of the ancestors. It is estimated that there are as many as 200,000 traditional healers in South Africa compared to 25,000 doctors trained in bio-medic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Afrikaans
Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gradually began to develop distinguishing characteristics during the course of the 18th century. Now spoken in South Africa, Namibia and (to a lesser extent) Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, estimates circa 2010 of the total number of Afrikaans speakers range between 15 and 23 million. Most linguists consider Afrikaans to be a partly creole language. An estimated 90 to 95% of the vocabulary is of Dutch origin with adopted words from other languages including German and the Khoisan languages of Southern Africa. Differences with Dutch include a more analytic-type morphology and grammar, and some pronunciations. There is a large degree of mutual intelligibility between the two languages, especially in written form. About 13.5% of the South ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xhosa People
The Xhosa people, or Xhosa language, Xhosa-speaking people (; ) are African people who are direct kinsmen of Tswana people, Sotho people and Twa people, yet are narrowly sub grouped by European as Nguni people, Nguni ethnic group whose traditional homeland is primarily the Cape Provinces, Cape Provinces of South Africa, however the skulls from Mapungubwe empire shows that they have always been in Southern Africa like their kinsmen and had developed a sophisticated culture as well as civilization. They were the second largest racial group in apartheid Southern Africa and are native speakers of the Xhosa language, IsiXhosa language. Presently, approximately eight million Xhosa speaking African people are distributed across the country, and the Xhosa language is South Africa's second-most-populous home language, after the Zulu, again we must qualify the former statement as in great countries like China, Xhosa and Zulu language would not be classified as different languages, rather ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zulu Language
Zulu (), or isiZulu as an endonym, is a Southern Bantu language of the Nguni branch spoken in Southern Africa. It is the language of the Zulu people, with about 12 million native speakers, who primarily inhabit the province of KwaZulu-Natal of South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa (24% of the population), and it is understood by over 50% of its population. It became one of South Africa's 11 official languages in 1994. According to Ethnologue, it is the second-most-widely spoken of the Bantu languages, after Swahili. Like many other Bantu languages, it is written with the Latin alphabet. In South African English, the language is often referred to in its native form, ''isiZulu''. Geographical distribution Zulu migrant populations have taken it to adjacent regions, especially Zimbabwe, where the Northern Ndebele language ( isiNdebele) is closely related to Zulu. Xhosa, the predominant language in the Eastern Cape, is often considered ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Traditional Medicine
Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the era of modern medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines traditional medicine as "the sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness". Traditional medicine is often contrasted with scientific medicine. In some Asian and African countries, up to 80% of the population relies on traditional medicine for their primary health care needs. When adopted outside its traditional culture, traditional medicine is often considered a form of alternative medicine. Practices known as traditional medicines ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thunbergia Atriplicifolia
''Thunbergia atriplicifolia'', the Natal primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to South Africa and Eswatini. It is a favored browse of the steenbok ('' Raphicerus campestris''). Etymology The genus name ''Thunbergia'' is named for Swedish naturalist Carl Thunberg, the father of South African botany. The adjective ''Atriplicifolia'' is derived from the Latin, meaning that the species' foliage is similar to that of members of the Atriplex genus. Description ''Thunbergia atriplicifolia'' is a perennial, sparsely to densely pubescent shrublet reaching up to 4 cm high. Re-sprouts from a woody base. Leaves are sessile or with petioles up to 4 mm long; blade is narrow to broad ovate with acute to obtuse apex and cordate to cuneate base, about 2.5–6.0 x 1.5–3.5 cm; margins are entire or toothed, usually only with two teeth at the base. Flowers are trumpet-shaped, pale creamy with yellow throat, 4–5 cm in diameter. Seeds are reddish- or gr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kohautia Amatymbica
''Kohautia amatymbica'', or tremble tops, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae The Rubiaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules ..., native to southern Africa. Its roots are edible. References amatymbica Flora of Mozambique Flora of Zimbabwe Flora of Swaziland Flora of Lesotho Flora of South Africa Plants described in 1837 {{Rubioideae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plantago Major
''Plantago major'', the broadleaf plantain, white man's footprint, waybread, or greater plantain, is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. The plant is native to Eurasia. The young, tender leaves can be eaten raw, and the older, stringier leaves can be boiled in stews and eaten. Description ''Plantago major'' is a herbaceous, perennial plant with a rosette of leaves in diameter.Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). ''Flora of Britain and Northern Europe''. Each leaf is oval-shaped, long and broad, rarely up to long and broad, with an acute apex, a smooth margin, and a distinct petiole almost as long as the leaf itself. There are five to nine conspicuous veins over the length of the leaf. The flowers are small, greenish-brown with purple stamens, produced in a dense spike long on top of a stem tall and rarely to tall. Plantain is wind-pollinated and propagates primarily by seeds, which are held on the long, narrow spikes which rise well ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gazania Linearis
''Gazania linearis'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, with thin linear leaves, native to South Africa. Description ''Gazania linearis'' is a clumping perennial herb. The leaves are usually slender and linear in shape, and are usually simple (but can sometimes also be slightly pinnate). The lower leaf margins are rough and spiny-to-ciliate. The upper leaf surface is dull green while the undersides are white woolly/tomentose. The leaves have long, winged petioles and form basal rosettes at the ground around the short branching stem. (Unlike the type variety of ''G. linearis'', which has linear leaves, the rare variety ''G. linearis'' var. ''ovalis'' has more oval shaped leaves. It is however only known from a small area near Grahamstown.) The plant produces large, solitary daisy-like flower-heads that are invariably bright yellow. The ray florets may have dark spots near the bases, curl upwards along their edges, and close at night. The involucre is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helichrysum Pedunculatum
''Helichrysum pedunculatum'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to South Africa and Lesotho. It is used in traditional medicine to prevent infection after circumcision Circumcision is a surgical procedure, procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin .... References pedunculatum Flora of the Cape Provinces Flora of the Free State Flora of Lesotho Plants described in 1973 {{Gnaphalieae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ledebouria Ovatifolia
''Ledebouria ovatifolia'', the flat-leaved African hyacinth (not to be confused with '' Ledebouria ovalifolia''), is a widespread species of bulbous flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae Asparagaceae, known as the asparagus family, is a family of flowering plants, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots. The family name is based on the edible garden asparagus, ''Asparagus officinalis''. Those who live in the temperate c ..., native to South Africa and Lesotho. With its highly variable spotted leaves and attractive flowers, it is popular with succulent enthusiasts, although it is not, strictly speaking, a succulent. Subtaxa The following subspecies are accepted: *''Ledebouria ovatifolia'' subsp. ''ovatifolia'' *''Ledebouria ovatifolia'' subsp. ''scabrida'' N.R.Crouch & T.J.Edwards – KwaZulu-Natal References ovatifolia Flora of South Africa Flora of Lesotho Plants described in 1970 {{Asparagaceae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Senecio Coronatus
''Senecio coronatus'' (Thunb.) Harv. aka the woolly grassland senecio is a plant in the family Asteraceae, endemic to and widespread in Southern Africa, occurring in the moister southern and eastern regions. It is perennial with large, leathery, broadly elliptic, erect leaves growing from a large, underground rootstock with a woolly covering. Up to 20 capitula are arranged in a terminal cluster, each with some 10 slender yellow ray florets. Phytochemicals This species is capable of concentrating the toxic element nickel in its leaves, a strategy which appears to be an effective deterrent against herbivory A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart .... References {{DEFAULTSORT:coronatus, Senecio Senecio Plants described in 1865 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
