Muti
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Muthi is a traditional medicine practice in Southern Africa as far north as Lake Tanganyika.
Name
In
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 colonial spelling.
In colloquial English and Afrikaans the word muti is often used to refer to medicines in general or medicines that have a 'miraculous' effect, e.g.
- "Die dokter het 'muti' op die seerplek gesmeer en die volgende dag was dit heeltemal gesond." (The doctor rubbed muti on the wound and the next day it was completely healed.)
- "My dokter het vir my 'muti' verskaf vir my seer keel." ("My doctor gave me some muti for my sore throat.")
Traditional medicine
African
Vulture brains are used for prophecy in muthi.[2]
Use of Isicakathi in the Eastern Cape
Isicakathi is a term that is used by Xhosa people when referring to plants with supposed pharmacological and therapeutic properties that are used as medicine for various ailments,.[3]
The people in the Eastern Cape of South Africa still strongly rely on traditional medicine and believe in its potency as an alternative to western medicine.
Isicakathi for pre-natal and post-natal care
Agapanthus praecox is one of the plants that falls under isicakathi used during pregnancy. It is taken orally from the six month of pregnancy until delivery. The plant is put in a container full of water and half a cup of that water is taken orally, twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.[3] It is believed that the plant’s growth determines the health of the unborn baby. The wilting of the plant is regarded as a symbol with regards to the baby's health, usually associated with death. Isicakathi is widely used to induce easy
The use of Isicakathi on the baby
Salvia scabra, mixed with the mother’s milk, is given as medicine to infants. The mixture is given to the baby to ingest every day for two months.[3] Isicakathi is generally used to induce growth and prevent diseases. It is also used as an alternative to the mother’s milk and to counteract the milk’s sourness.[3] The use of Agapanthus praecox ensures that the baby is strong, whilst preventing bowel problems and crusts on its head.[13]
An ointment is used to hasten the parturition of the baby and placenta using the leaves of Scutia mytina. Erythrina humeana is used to heal the umbilical cord of the baby by burning the bark and using the powder to apply on the baby.[12]
Muti killings
Occasions of murder and mutilation associated with some traditional cultural practices in South Africa are also termed muti killings. These are not human sacrifices directly, but rather involve the murder of someone in order to excise body parts for incorporation into medicine used in witchcraft.
In February 2010, Deputy Provincial Commissioner William Mpembe of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in North West Province said that "muti murders, particularly those involving young children, seem to be on the rise in the Tshwane areas including Soshanguve, Garankuwa and Rietgat".[14] That same month, African traditional healers and the Gauteng government convened at a seminar in Pretoria, South Africa to root out the "evil practice of mutilating human bodies for purposes of muti making."[15]
See also
- Traditional healers of South Africa
- Murder of Masego Kgomo
- Kidnapping in South Africa
References
- ^ "Traditional African Healing". African Code. Archived from the original on 24 August 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ^ Elizabeth Royte (January 2016). "Vultures Are Revolting: Here's Why We Need to Save Them". National Geographic. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ .
- ^ "SANBI.Commelina Africana". PlantZAfrica.com.
- ^ Hutchings, A., Scott, A.H., Lewis, G. & Cunningham, A.B. 1996. Zulu medicinal plants. An inventory . University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg.[page needed]
- ^ "SANBI.Ledebouria". PlantZAfrica.com.
- ^ "Kohautia amatymbica Eckl". Prota4u.
- ^ Gaby H et al.MedicinalPlants,Volume1.
- PMID 12476719.
- PMID 9089914.
- PMID 27556330.
- ^ .
- .
- ^ "Cash for organs is no joke". sowetanlive.co.za. Sowetan Live and SAPA. 25 February 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
- ^ SAPA (19 February 2010). "Muti killings to be tackled". news24.com. News24. Archived from the original on 18 June 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2012.