When European settlers landed in South Africa, they hardly saw the locals as cutting-edge scientists and health practitioners. In fact the indigenous people harboured a treasure trove of remedies for all kinds of diseases, knowledge of how to farm effectively and principles of good nutrition. And African women who were mostly the gatekeepers of this knowledge always had a traditional fix for life’s problems.
Researchers and grass roots workers alike increasingly recognise that in many communities women are natural resource managers and that they possess profound knowledge of the environment. They are also largely credited with keeping this knowledge alive and passing it on from generation to generation.
“Women play a crucial role in maintaining livelihoods, cultural continuity and community cohesion,” says Dr Mogege Mosimege, manager of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in the Department of Science and Technology. “Women are custodians of indigenous knowledge.”
Indigenous knowledge is local or traditional knowledge generated by people living within a particular community — hence it is unique to a society or culture. It covers critical issues ranging from health to mathematics and technology, governance, astronomy, philosophy and animal husbandry.
Often the knowledge is unwritten and this means it is not easily codifiable, and runs the risk of being lost or forgotten if not actively practised by a community. “Women play important roles, including bringing up kids and in their nurturing role, they pass on knowledge to their children and share traditions with the next generation,” Mosimege says.
While men are not ignorant of this traditional wisdom, women play a critical role, both in the preservation and in the practice of cooking for public gatherings and rituals, tilling the land and caring for the ill.
Dr Otsile Ntsoane, deputy director of IKS, says this blend of culture and craft can be seen in the clay pots of the Bakgatla and Bahurutshe women of the North West province.
“The women have developed myths and taboos that go with the production of clay pots,” he says.
“An example is a female who is in her menstrual cycle, should not get near or get involved in clay pot making.” The clay pot is symbolic of women’s role in creating new life. Pottery is a refined art with a spiritual dimension and women place their spirits in the clay by singing before they begin to create the pot. The production of the pot becomes an extension of the collective energy that is invoked through song.
Peace-keeping in Africa was traditionally a diplomatic art practised by shrewd queens who could teach today’s politicians a few things. “Queen Nzinga of the Kongo kingdom and Queen Mantataise of the Basotho are both prime examples that African culture did not originally have a patriarchal structure,” adds Ntsoane.
“Women leaders have always played an important role.” He says that wars were often prevented by arranged marriages. “If the Basotho and Batswana had a dispute, the elders would advise their daughters to marry into the opposing tribe and so make the tribe their ally.” The spirit of healing is embodied as a goddess, which is why sangomas, both male and female, wear “female” clothing with a queen-like head dress.
Indigenous foods are currently a big focus for the IKS Unit. According to Tom Suchandan, also a deputy director in the department of science and technology at the IKS, African families were able to keep their families healthy for hundreds of years by using the resources available to them. He says Westerners were baffled by the nutritional content of African foods, which did not fit into their ideas of healthy food. Women played an integral role in learning about the nutritional qualities of foods and developing recipes, which have formed the staple of many African menus.
As obesity and diet-related diseases increase in South Africa, there are concerns that the traditional, healthy way of eating is disappearing in the face of Western and Eastern dishes. To promote healthy, affordable foods, the Department has funded the publication of a recipe book South African Indigenous Foods. Recipes include delicacies from all regions of the country, and include xiginya xa mihalta (Tsonga for sweet potatoes and jugo beans),polokwe (Tswana for fresh mealie balls), xiritsi xa tamati (Tsonga for peanuts, tomatoes and onions), chola chola tea (Xhosa tea) and mabele porridge Pedi for sorghum porridge). Many of the dishes will be showcased at a food fair during Heritage Day celebrations later this year.
Old-fashioned home cooking
Isijabane Semifino Yembuya
(Wild pumpkin leaves, pumpkin and mealie mix)
1 small pumpkin, cubed
140g wild pumpkin leaves
250g fresh mealies, crushed
2 chili peppers, finely chopped
750 ml water
Add salt to taste
Bring water to the boil. Add pumpkin, wild pumpkin leaves, crushed mealies and chilli peppers. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Add salt and simmer for a few minutes. Serve hot. — South African Indigenous Foods (IndiZAFoods)