Abstract
BackgroundThe use of animals and animal-derived materials in traditional medicine constitutes an important part of the belief systems of indigenous African cultures. It is believed to be rapidly expanding in South Africa, where traditional healers are estimated to outnumber western doctors by 2000:1 in some areas, with an overall clientele consisting of 60–80% of South African citizens. Despite concerns about the impact of the trade in traditional medicine on biodiversity, there has been only limited research on this topic in South Africa.MethodsTraditional Xhosa and Sotho healers operating from impoverished, rural communities in the Boland Region of the Western Cape Province were consulted to provide a comprehensive inventory of the number and frequency of animals used and sold. Species richness estimators, diversity indices, and a relative cultural importance (RCI) index were used to highlight species of concern and assess market dynamics.ResultsA total of 26 broad use categories for 12 types of animal parts or products from 71 species or morphospecies were recorded. The most commonly sold items were skin pieces, oil or fat, and bones. Results showed that leopard, chacma baboon, Cape porcupine, monitor lizard species, puff adder, African rock python, and black-backed jackal were the species most used in the traditional medicinal trade.ConclusionsThis study extends existing knowledge on the trade of animals in South African healing practices and provides the first attempt in the Western Cape to quantify wildlife use for cultural traditions. The results have relevance for setting conservation priorities and may assist in effective policy development inclusive of ecological sustainability priorities, as well as cultural demands.
Highlights
The use of animals and animal-derived materials in traditional medicine constitutes an important part of the belief systems of indigenous African cultures
Nieman et al Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2019) 15:34 with a traditional healer [18]. This is relevant to communities existing in poor, rural areas (> 50% of the South African population) [21] where little opportunity exists to consult with university-educated doctors, while traditional healers in comparison are far more accessible [14]
In the Western Cape Province (WCP), the use of animals in traditional medicine or cultural practice is largely dominated by Xhosa-speaking people [22], who constitute the largest proportion of African ethnic groups in the province (24.7%, with Sotho-speaking people representing the second highest proportion at 1.1%) [23]
Summary
The use of animals and animal-derived materials in traditional medicine constitutes an important part of the belief systems of indigenous African cultures. In South Africa, the trade of, and dependence on, natural resources as traditional medicine amongst primarily indigenous African cultures is deemed to be Nieman et al Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2019) 15:34 with a traditional healer [18]. This is relevant to communities existing in poor, rural areas (> 50% of the South African population) [21] where little opportunity exists to consult with university-educated doctors, while traditional healers in comparison are far more accessible [14]. Other ‘symbolic magical’ or ‘magico-medical’ purposes include the protection against physical and spiritual enemies and entities, love charms and aphrodisiacs, increased intelligence, acquiring wealth and prosperity, and aiding pastoral enterprises [3, 15, 18, 27]
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