As Izinyanga, we are wholly dependant on the natural wealth of plants and animals for our healing. We use plants to make medicines for our patients. Unfortunately, almost all of these plants are harvested from the wild. The numbers of Izinyanga as well as people that use the medicines are growing at a much faster rate than the rate at which these plants and trees are regrowing in the wild. This is why there are certain slower growing plants and trees which are becoming more difficult to find in the wild as they face extinction. Animals are also facing the same problem, with the added stress of loss of natural habitat resulting in ever declining stocks and species.
We need to be at the forefront of conservation efforts especially as this has a direct bearing on our abilities to perform our duty of healing. We need to also be creative in the way we process these raw materials in order to get the most usage out of what we do have without compromising the quality of the care we provide. This includes grinding the materials as finely as possible in order to use less ingredients than if the plants were chopped roughly.We are after all the original African scientists and we need to investigate and follow the traditional practices which extend to sustainable harvesting of plant materials. Today there are plant markets where harvestors sell to traders who then on sell to Izinyanga to make their own preperations. Fewer and fewer Izinyanga actually go to the forests themselves meaning that for some it seems that there is a steady supply through the markets when this is in fact not the case. In the past an Inyanga did their own harvesting in a particular area so knew from experience which species needed time to regenerate or which trees needed to be given time to heal where bark had been removed. Also a selection of plants would be harvested in order to prepare remedies. With harvestor being paid for the plants they harvest and animals they bring, the incentive is to bring as much as you can of a particular plant type, rather than different plants at different times to fill a prescription.
There are certain species of plants which are close to extinction like Inyazangoma Elimnyama (Red Stinkwood) who's bark is harvested for export to the UK for the manufacture of a medicine used for enlarged prostrates. Another one is Ishaqa (Pelargonia Sidoides) which is virtually extinct in its natural growing area. It is also harvested for export to Germany to make a cough remedy incidentally based on a recipe which was taken from an Inyanga in the Eastern Cape in the 1800's.
Needless to say if we do not stand up and look after our inheritance and take steps to protect this inheritence for future generations and for the health of the continent, then we face the possibility that in a few years time, we will not be able to provide the cost effective care that we do at the moment. It is our responsibility to get involved and to direct how these conservation efforts should be driven. It starts with each one of us. Sometimes we have access to land, instead of chopping all the plants material that you have, plant some and see what happens! But most importantly, learn about plants and trees, be active in ensuring that we have something to work with for the future.
