Activity 3. Fieldtrip- Botanical gardens

Botanical Garden Think sheet

Here is a think sheet to guide you on your quest for knowledge when we visit the Botanical Gardens. You may ask the curator about anything you would like to know. You will all have your own sheet on which to jot down your thoughts and ideas and then collaborate for the final think sheet which will be uploaded to the project site.
If you would like to a preview, have a look at their website. http://www.sanbi.org/frames/pretoriafram.htm

File Type: MS Word Document: 176 K

Think sheet

This is a Think sheet of what we learned at the Botanical Gardens.It was not as simple as we first thought.We thought we were just going to look at plants, but soon realized that all kinds of things are involved, like safety of medicines, conservation, exporting plants and guarding out heritage os secret recipes from big over seas pharmaceutical companies. Even though I made this we all worked on it together after our visit. I used Visio to make the think sheet, but then I could not upload it so I made a print screen and put it on a Word Document. The back ground is a photograph Kayley took at the Gardens.

File Type: MS Word Document: 885 K

Debating issues around indigenous medicine

I would like the team to meet and each member to choose an issue to debate.Some of you may want to debate the same topic, so you will have to negotiate and compromise. Post your debate on this page.
1.Ethical considerations
2.Patenting medicines
3.Cultivation of Indigenous medicines
4.Conservation
5.Sustainable supply
6.National Health Care

Safety

There have been cases where Sangoma pratices have been called dangerous and the muti (medicine) called unsafe for human use. Some people have said they want Sangoma's to be tested before use by the government. These ways of healing have been around for centuries, they should be trusted. ????

Positions:

Sangomas should be tested (1)
Its trusted (4)
Doesn't matter (1)

• Its trusted

  they have been trusted before, why cant hey be trusted now? they know the best remedies and the plants that heal.
  04 May 2009

   
  
  
• Its trusted

  Yes they should be trusted- they were here and working lobg before western medicine.
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Doesn't matter

  there is no need for testing,people should know that if they trust a sangoma they are doing it at own risk
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Its trusted

  How can anyone really put in writing what sangomas should know? This is a very spiritual thing!
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Sangomas should be tested

  We don't know if the Sangoma's are trusted so I think that they need to be tested in order for the people who consult Sangoma's,can be safe.
  03 May 2009

   
  
  

• 1
• 2

Do iSangomas have true power?

People in South Africa who do not have a tribal heritage of traditional healing are often suspicious of traditional healers and think they are witches. Well witches are different and they cast spells but sangomas don't. This would a very interesting debate if it was open. They are:

Positions:

Connected to the spirit world (0)
Have ancestors guiding them (4)
Know about plant medicines (2)
Use black magic (0)
Beliefs conflict with some (2)

• Beliefs conflict with some

  Especially people who have no triabl heritage.
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Have ancestors guiding them

  in response to what Sani said, a herbalist is a Nyanga
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Know about plant medicines

  most of the things they do involves plants so they're basicly herbilists
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Beliefs conflict with some

  it is not a question of making a judgement of if they do have power or not. I mean would you be prepared to judg if a preist has power or not. Everyone has a right to their own belief system.
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Have ancestors guiding them

  I know that Sangoma's get their power from their ancestors which makes them help their customers and the ancestors are healng people through a Sangoma.
  03 May 2009

   
  
  

• 1
• 2

Cultivation of tradional medicine

The most common definition of cultivation is to improve or repair land. Is it fine for other countries and our own people to go into the bush and pick the supplies for traditional medicine?

Positions:

yes, of caurse its fine (1)
no, its not fine (5)

• no, its not fine

  this is not ok,if people want to take unconditionaly we are going to run out
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• no, its not fine

  No it's not fine for other people to take the pants which Traditional healers use because then they won't be able to heal people any more and then they will lose their jobs beause no one wiould go to Traditional healers because they won't have healing medicines to heal other people.
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• no, its not fine

  sangomas shoul grow there own supplies
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• yes, of caurse its fine

  It will conserve plants in the wild and make jobs for small spaza shop ( a stall on the roadside) businesses.
  01 May 2009

   
  
  
• no, its not fine

  I think there should be limits to how much you are allowed to pick and maybe we should farm the most used plants.
  30 Apr 2009

   
  
  

• 1
• 2

Coservation

The Traditional healers are taking the medical plants from doctors. What do you think we should do about it?

Positions:

Build more farms (2)
Plants for doctors only (0)
Plant for traditional healers (3)
Let them both share plants (2)
No one should have plants (0)

• Build more farms

  if we build more farms, everyones happy!
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Let them both share plants

  whats the point of fighting of plants they should share and use it spearingly
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Build more farms

  We need to make more farms because sangomas don't grow their own plants. Also then we can sell the rest overseas like the plant Hoodia which the whole world wants to help in controlling the appetite.
  01 May 2009

   
  
  
• Plant for traditional healers

  If traditional healers plant their own plants there will be more than enough.
  30 Apr 2009

   
  
  
• Let them both share plants

  It would be more fair for both to share plants and then there would be no hassle.
  30 Apr 2009

   
  
  

• 1
• 2

Sangomas: Problem or Solution for Healthcare?

We wish to find out wheather tradiional healers should be allowed to be a part of the national healthcare system,by having offices in clinics and giving sick notes.

Positions:

Yes,Many cultures say so. (5)
No,diagnosises could be wrong. (0)
Maybe,Depends on the area. (1)
Never,doctors must diagnose. (0)

• Yes,Many cultures say so.

  if so many people believe in them they might as well be part of health care it would do wonders for health departments
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Yes,Many cultures say so.

  The idea of Sangoma's joining the heathcare system is a good idea because then some people can be healed better and when both work together,people won't be afraid to go to doctors anymore because Sangoma's would be treating customers in a non-painful way.
  03 May 2009

   
  
  
• Maybe,Depends on the area.

  I think traditional healers and doctors should work together like they do in China. Old knowledge is often where our new drugs from anyway.
  01 May 2009

   
  
  
• Yes,Many cultures say so.

  in some cultures sangomas are needed and some people are scared of doctors and they prefer traditional healers, people should be allowed to choose.
  30 Apr 2009

   
  
  
• Yes,Many cultures say so.

  people should have the right to choose how they want to be treated, and if its a sangoma you want, you have have the opportunity to do so.
  30 Apr 2009

   
  
  

• 1
• 2

Herbal teratories

Are we able to keep enough healing plants for western docters and
indigenous healers

Positions:

no,healers will finish supply (0)
no,docters will finish supply (0)
yes we can work out an order (2)
not enough for both (3)
more then enough for both (0)

• yes we can work out an order

  We can grow enough for everyone- our country is big enough.
  01 May 2009

   
  
  
• not enough for both

  it will eventually run out and we will be left with out healing plants. we should plant what we pick! (to replace)
  30 Apr 2009

   
  
  
• not enough for both

  We have to start farming the plants necessary for them both.
  30 Apr 2009

   
  
  
• not enough for both

  Well, this might happen eventually. People should plant more, and enough for themselves or more.
  30 Apr 2009

   
  
  
• yes we can work out an order

  I think that the Traditional healers should join the doctors in health care so both can share healing plants.
  30 Apr 2009

   
  
  

Reasoning Skills

Here is a rubric to help you assess your reasoning skills. Each member of the team must assess themselves as honestly as is possible. This hard copy will form part of your project portfolio and must be handed in to Ms Oldnall.

File Type: MS Word Document: 31 K