Zulu Botanical Knowledge project
The Zulu Botanical Knowledge Project, sponsored by WWF-SA and the National Research Foundation (NRF), focuses on Zulu plant names and their meanings.

Zulu plant names do much more than identify the plant. They provide a link between culture and the environment, and from them we can learn as much about indigenous medical usage and courtship procedures as we can about plant identification and the botanical knowledge of Zulu diviners and traditional healers.

On 3 November, well over 100 people from all of KwaZulu-Natal came to Durban to celebrate the launch of Ulwazi LwamaZulu Ngezimila: isingeniso / Zulu Botanical Knowledge: an introduction. This bilingual publication (isiZulu and English) compiled by Mkhipheni A. Ngwenya and Rosemary Williams of the National Botanical Institute and Adrian Koopman from the School of Language, Culture and Communication at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg focuses on indigenous botanical knowledge in three areas of the province and celebrates the diversity of isiZulu names and plants in these areas. The three areas are Bulwer / eLotheni in the mountainous west of the province, oNgoye / eNkandla in Zululand in the north and eNtimbankulu in the south. Forty plants are detailed in the book, each plant being illustrated either botanically by Sibonelo Chiliza or by linocuts by Siyabonga Sikhosana who used this medium to interpret the meaning of the isiZulu name.

At the launch Mkhipheni Ngwenya, the leader of the Zulu Botanical Knowledge Project, spoke about the exceptional support of the project by many people and organisations, especially the people interviewed in the three areas of the province and the students who had assisted with field work, data capture, lexicographical interpretation and illustrations. A presentation was made to Hettie Gets (WWF-SA ) WWF-SA being the principal sponsor of the project and a presentation to Prof. BJ Huntley (CEO, NBI) to thank the NBI for its support of the project and for providing the institutional base for the project. Unfortunately the NRF (National Research Foundation) who also sponsored the project was unable to be present at the function.

Several other members of the fourteen person project working group spoke at the launch – Mr Mlindeli Gcumisa (Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife), Prof. Adrian Koopman (UNP) and Prof. Sihawu Ngubane (UND). For all it was an inspiring occasion.

There were also community launches in the three pilot areas, at Lotheni Nature Reserve, Bulwer, eNkandla Forest Reserve, oNgoye Forest Reserve and eNtimbankulu Village.
The publication was received with great appreciation and 230 books were distributed to the interviewees and their families, community leaders, traditional leaders, teachers and conservation officials. Through the field work and the return of the community’s knowledge in a published form, we believe that we have promoted environmental awareness as well as an awareness of the communities distinct cultural heritage.

At the end of this project, we have an exciting publication, a botanical / lexicographical database with 800 records from three pilot areas in KZN, a code of conduct for researchers, as well as greater clarity on issues around access & benefit sharing and dealing with our exceptionally rich plant diversity and equally rich isiZulu lexicon.

This project has enabled strong links to be made between culture and biodiversity, botanists and linguists, isiZulu and English speakers, rural and urban areas. The support and enthusiasm of the communities in the pilot areas, the students, the working group members, participating institutions and funders has been an enriching experience and is a most encouraging basis for a Zulu Botanical Knowledge Project that would encompass the entire province and will hopefully have far reaching conservation value.

Lastly, we would like to make a special acknowledgement to the funders, WWF-SA and NRF, who believed in this project and the capacity of the project executants to deliver. Without their support this project would still be in the realms of a “good idea”. WWF-SA is in particular thanked for the enabling and supportive role that their Conservation Education Programme Manager, Ms Hettie Gets, played in the success of this project.