The Amazing Umkaloaba

Herb here, traveled through cyberspace to Eastern South Africa (well at least Eastern South Africa as documented by Google). While here I have been learning a good deal about the indigenous plant umckaloaba… 

            Glaring on the screen and surrounded by the page dominating links to the tabloid myths of the Western celebrities is an advertisement for Umcka Cold Medicine by Nature’s Way™. In, over-sized letters a caption catches the eye: “Umcka Cold Medicine From Zulu Tribal Remedies in South Africa”. This; however is the last mention of the Zulu people and their interaction with the “tribal remedies.” And just like that, the traditional medicinal herb of the Zulu, umckaloaba, is degraded to a commodity for European profit.

The link is: http://www.zimbio.com/Natural+Alternative+Health+Therapies/articles/YKer5m8HKnw/Umcka+Cold+Medicine+Zulu+Tribal+Remedies+South.

           Umcka Cold Care Medicine

Umckaloaba, known in the Western Scientific Paradigm as Pelargonium sidoides, is an herb traditionally used by the Zulu, Basuto, Xhosa, and Mfengi tribes that inhabit the Eastern Cape, Free State, and Guateng Provinces of modern South Africa. The plant is geranium like and has heart shaped leaves and a blackish purple flower; its roots contain medicinal properties. Umckaloaba is known to remedy respiratory diseases like tuberculosis, tonsillitis, sore throat, and the common cold. It also has healing effects for dysentery, diarrhea, gonorrhea, and herpes (http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1135-SOUTH%20AFRICAN%20GERANIUM.aspx?activeIngredientId=1135&activeIngredientName=SOUTH%20AFRICA).

         Umckaloabo 

  In support of the European commoditizing Umckaloaba, Google links linked to the medical benefits of the plant, the increase in corporate sales of the plant, where to buy medicines, and scientific tests done on the plant. Little was found on the cultural relationship of the Zulu, Basuto, Xhosa, and Mfengi with the umckaloaba, but I will report what I found to the best of my ability.

            The focus here will be on the Zulu people who occupy the KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Before British colonization, the Zulu were a powerful kingdom. During colonization, the Zulu actively defended the land from British colonists but lost control of the land during the Boer Wars from 1880-1881. The Zulu claim to be Christian but also practice ancestor worship. They have a monotheistic view of God, Unkulunkulu; unkulunkulu has perspicacity into all things and is said to have ‘sprung from the reeds’ (maybe indicating the lococentricity of the Zulu people?).

              The Zulu people have traditional medical practices, known as umuthi, that cure both physical and spiritual ailments. Inyanga are herbalists who are concerned with medicines from plants and animals; so they deal with the umckaloaba plant. In Zulu culture, Inyanga are said to possess imimoya nayambibi, spiritual powers that allow them to diagnose ailments of their patients.

http://library.thinkquest.org/27209/Healing.htm

Zulu Warriors          

  In 1897, English Major Charles Stevens traveled to the Zulu people to cure his tuberculosis, for which the Zulu people were rumored to have a remedy. After successful recovery, Stevens brought the umckaloaba plant back to England where it has since been commoditized. Popular modern sales of the umckaloaba, called kaloaba, have increased in Europe. In Germany Umcka, mentioned at the beginning of the post, has become the #1 herbal remedy. The medicinal form of umckaloaba is reported to have $15 million in sales in 2008.

            But popularity of umckaloaba comes with a price to both the environments and to the Zulu people. Lewu. Grierson, and Afolayan report that production of the plant is unsustainable to the soil and that the species is unprotected in its environment in their 2005 study on umckaloaba plants growth. http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB/PDF/pdf2006/16Jan/Lewu%20et%20al.pdf

Zulu traditional medicinal practices are also in danger because of exploitation of the umckaloaba. I was surprised while researching the plant, the lack of information on the Zulu people’s growth on the plant. Similarly, advertisements degraded the fact that umckaloaba was a traditional medicine to an advertising ploy. Health corporations seemed to give little care to the traditional methods and more concern with production of the plant.

 Herb On and Boogie down Bobby Brown,

Herb (Danielle)