Our conversation today comes from South Africa. Nox Makunga- completed a PHD in Botany, a Fulbright in Minnesota and lives in Stollenbach in South Africa focusing on healing plants and indigenous healers. She studies how these plants and unique preparations can be deeply healing and beneficial to all people. She shares so many insights about how to study and understand the plants and how the environment of a plant changes its chemistry. She discusses balancing teaching, researching, and writing. And the power of collaborating and sharing the magic of plants with each other.
Nox Makunga Links:
https://www.instagram.com/nox_makunga/?hl=en
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https://www.instagram.com/_tapi_tapi/?hl=en
Links Mentioned in the show:
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www.aidazea.com
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Contact me: sara@aidazea.com
Music by komiku
Topics covered in this chat:
Fulbright and living in Minnesota
Metabolites and light affect growth patterns of plants
Exposed to different light environments to understand how environmental conditions affect growth patterns
Succuluent
Sceletium tortuosum or kanna, a succulent plant well known for its mood-enhancing properties,
Used by the Khoe-Sān people-indigenous people of South African
12 minute quote
Commercialized as a use for depression
Used for divination
Affects the mind positively
Semi-desert plant that flowers once it starts to rain.
Long history of use by people.
Depression is a huge problem and this species seems to be beneficial for the brain
Mike Smith paper about this species was part of what sparked curiosity to study this plant more deeply
Light regulates the compounds within a plant.
The conditions of a living thing changes how it grows
The light changes the chemistry
The seasons regulate the chemicals within a plant as well.
The summer solstice versus winter solstice growth
Fermenting the plant improves the bioavailability
Studying with indigenous healers to better understand the use of plants
Stollenbosch was named after governor,author.
Mezambrine alkaloids- became more popular to study in the 1970’s
Koi and San descendents
Rastafarian herbalists using this plant for healing
Connects with local plant people.
African traditional medicine was not generally written.
Scientists are beginning to collect and record this knowledge
Unique plants of South Africa
Supporting the economy using unique plants
Socio-economic input by using the wisdom of local plants.
Act within the paradigms of sustainability and conservation
Khoe-Sān people
Botanical Ranching and Permaculture
Wild environments that are tended
Cycling harvest
Work so that nature is always able to give and work with nature with respect
Biodiversity Act- prevents biopiracy
Any commercialization of indeigenous knowledge needs to benefit the person or people who held that knowledge
Must benefit the community from which the knowledge comes
Difficult to navigate
Sometimes ancient or community knowledge
Regulated system intended to prevent exploitation of local people.
Travel to China with Khoe-Sān healer
Healing by dreaming about ancestors, plants, and where to collects plants
Spiritual ancestral connection through dream work
Chinese traditional medicine and how it was different than traditional South African Medicine
Ancient script and formulas that were more formal
Swapping notes with consultation contrast and similarities
33 minutes-great quote
Recording the knowledge of indigenous wisdom
Black Botanist Week
Ancient languages being lost
Local names of plants in languages that are no longer spoken
Language is very powerful in carrying what plants might be used for and the ecology around plants
Indigenous communities are often displaced and plants they
Lost information regarding plants, how they were used and
When a traditional healer dies it is like losing an encyclypedia
Much information gets lost
Similar to US and indegenous people of the Americas and how culture, language, and healing traditions have been broken and lost
Important to preserve what knowledge we can.
Dinner with traditional foods in the USA
Foraging for hidden plants and experiences
Using the flora that we have in new ways
Osha
Rooibos has a restricted distribution and limited growth pattern and requires a specific climate
Important to study what unique plants need
If you are going to use a plant for commercial use then it is crucial to learn to cultivate it and to grow it not only in the wild
Teaching in South Africa
Plant and Plant Biochemistry related
Research versus teaching
Finding balance
Time blocking is helpful for concentration and deep work
International projects on the horizon and working with others
47 minute quote
Collaborating with other people and working with others
“ The more diverse your network, the stronger you really are.”
Looking at multiple species within the genus
Variable landscapes within South Africa
Changes within every hour
Xhosa language
Landscape drawing and painting
Connection to the landscape to feed our souls
I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please be sure to connect with Nox_makunga on instagram Thank you for being such a wonderful listener and I appreciate you being here!
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