Documenting indigenous knowledge of the use of the Dwarf Sage plant in Namibia
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Date
2010
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Abstract
The study was conducted in 2009 in the Oshikoto and Khomas Regions of Namibia. The aim of the study was to document indigenous knowledge of the use of the Dwarf Sage plant in Namibia. The objectives of this study were: (a) to conduct a systematic recording of the body of indigenous knowledge of the Dwarf Sage, (b) to record and document the use of the Dwarf Sage, and (c) to document the types of diseases that can be treated with the Dwarf Sage. Qualitative research approach was used in the study. The study used purposive snowball sampling procedure to draw a sample from the population. Data was collected from Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) practitioners and beneficiaries of the Dwarf Sage. Five (5) IKS practitioners and eight (8) beneficiaries of the Dwarf Sage were interviewed using open-ended interview questionnaires. Three of the five IKS practitioners interviewed reside in Oshikoto Region; while two (of the IKS practitioners interviewed) reside in the Khomas Region. Five of the beneficiaries interviewed reside in the Oshikoto region, while the other three beneficiaries reside in the Khomas Region. The study findings revealed that knowledge of the Dwarf Sage plant had been obtained through observation and informal apprenticeship training. All the IKS practitioners had undergone a small initiation rite process to complete their informal apprenticeship training and become recognised practitioners. All IKS practitioners and beneficiaries reported that the Dwarf Sage plant is used to treat wounds known as "Ondhiya" in the Oshiwambo vernacular language andShingles in English. The IKS practitioners used fresh or dried pounded Dwarf Sage plant leaves to treat their patients' wounds. All beneficiaries of this plant interviewed disclosed that they had consulted a clinic or hospital before consulting IKS practitioners. They all reported that hospital medication could not heal their wounds. The reports of the beneficiaries about being healed by the Dwarf Sage but not the hospital medication left the researcher curious to submit the plant to the scientific laboratory for further exploration and plant element analysis
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Adult Education)
Keywords
Traditional ecological knowledge, Ethnoscience, Traditional medicine Namibia, Herbs therapeutic use