2024-03-21 20:09:39
Poaching for traditional medicinal purposes is one of the main causes of the decline in biodiversity in this African country.
MANZINI, Swaziland —
Traditional medicine, or muti, is an important part of the culture of Swaziland, a country in Africa also known as Eswatini. However, the growing demand for muti has put some of the animal species in the southern African kingdom at risk of extinction. That’s something conservationists and molecular biologists want to change.
Molecular biologist Zamekile Bhembe, who works for the EWild Laboratory at the University of Swaziland, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is fighting poachers and trying to be convicted of their crimes.
He says poaching for traditional medicinal purposes is one of the main causes of the decline in biodiversity and wants stricter regulations to protect wildlife.
“Any time you see a decline in biodiversity, there will be some form of poaching,” he said. “As a country, we cannot deny that we are using these resources as our traditional medicine. The thing is that we need a way to regulate them.”
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For generations, the people of Eswatini have held traditional beliefs and values close to their hearts. This is reflected in the fact that more than 80% of the population still consult traditional healers, or “witches”, for advice and healing.
These healers use a wide range of plant and animal species to create traditional medicine, based on knowledge passed down from generation to generation. However, overhunting has endangered local populations of pangolins, crocodiles, vultures and owls, leading to calls for more sustainable practices.
Makhanya Makhanya, President of the Witch Doctors Association, is a well-known traditional healing practitioner in his own right. He said there is a need to protect the role of traditional healers.
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These healers, he said, have served Swaziland for generations, providing healing and support to those in need. But he said current laws don’t reflect the reality of his job. He wants to see regulations that recognize the role of traditional healers in society and allow them to continue their work.
Patrick Maduna, a South African citizen, said he travels from neighboring South Africa to Swaziland to seek traditional medicinal solutions. His preference for traditional healing shows the complex relationship between modern and traditional medicine in Swaziland.
“I came from South Africa to Swaziland to receive traditional care,” he said. “I’ve been seeing the same traditional doctor since 2006, I’ve been coming to the same place. To come and get traditional care, for me it’s like therapy. “I have never, ever been to the hospital.”
Maduna said that if there were laws in Swaziland to limit the poaching of animals for traditional medicine, he believes so-called witches would follow the rules.
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