Traditional healers encouraged to take care of nature

Traditional healers and prophets were encouraged to start taking care of nature, especially mountains and rivers.

They were told this during the eighth instalment of the Citizen Science Awareness two-day workshop at Moretele Park in Mamelodi from December 10 and 11.

The workshop was organised by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi), in partnership with Nature Speaks and Responds (NSR) and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).

Dansile Cindi from Sanbi said globally, aquatic ecosystems are under threat from various sources, mainly from pollution caused by human activities and the effects of climate change.

She said in response to these challenges, Sanbi, NSR, and DWS acknowledged the importance of incorporating traditional healing practices, which have supported communities for generations, with conventional scientific knowledge.

“These workshops are designed to facilitate co-learning by incorporating indigenous knowledge systems into monitoring aquatic ecosystems (including river health) with Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs).”

She said by joining in citizen science initiatives, participants will contribute valuable data on water quality, biodiversity and ecosystem health while also sharing their traditional ecological knowledge.

“This initiative aims to promote the conservation of our river systems, which are crucial for ecosystem functionality while supporting livelihoods and enhancing the well-being of the community and nature,” said Cindi.

The workshop will continue to build on the outcomes of its previous editions and collaborate with local community leaders, traditional healers, and scientists while aiming to co-design research methodologies and data collection protocols.

Traditional healer Gogo Somhlolo Dlamini said the workshop is brilliant because it merges Western and traditional science.

She said this workshop was long overdue.

“Traditional healers and prophets performing rituals or healing people in the mountains and rivers need to clean these areas after they are done.

Mountains and rivers have natural resources, but if we pollute them, they cannot rebuild themselves,” said Gogo Dlamini.

She pleaded with traditional healers and prophets to take care of our nature and its resources.

“You should see the state of our mountains and rivers; they are polluted, and it is our responsibility to make sure that they are clean for the next person to use,” she said.

She said nature cannot absorb the dirt.

“Cleanliness’ is next to godliness, which is next to our ancestors.”

“We are not changing the process of nature, but we are saying: “Can we take care of nature?’ We only have one planet.

Gogo Nomsa Sibeko, CEO of Nature Speaks and Response, pleaded with traditional healers to please clean after performing their rituals at the rivers.

“The dirt you leave behind will pollute the rivers.

“If we clean the dirt, these will enable other traditional healers to heal our communities in a clean and safe environment as nature intended.

If we pollute the rivers and mountains, our ancestors will get angry for not taking care of our nature,” she concluded.

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