Voices from the forest : celebrating nature and culture in Xhosaland / Tony Dold & Michelle Cocks.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Dold, Tony.

Contributor:

Cocks, Michelle.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Xhosa (African people).

Xhosa (African people)--Social life and customs.

Xhosa (African people)--Ethnobotany.

Traditional medicine--South Africa--Eastern Cape.

Traditional medicine.

Human-plant relationships--South Africa--Eastern Cape.

Human-plant relationships.

Ecology--South Africa--Eastern Cape.

Ecology.

Ethnobotany.

Eastern Cape (South Africa).

South Africa--Eastern Cape.

Physical Description:

229 pages : color illustrations ; 28 cm

Place of Publication:

Auckland Park, South Africa : Jacana Media, 2012.

Summary:

"... book which explores the journey of celebrating the link between people and nature, the book reveals how plants, animals and landscapes are profoundly reflected in Xhosa language, stories, poetry, religious rituals, healing practices and everyday customs that define Xhosa culture. Over the years cultural and spiritual meaning of nature in South Africa has been poorly recorded and often misunderstood. The current trade of medicinal plants is often destructive and unsustainable with an estimated 27 million South Africans making use of indigenous medicines. This is a serious detriment as natural resources have been a reliant for underprivileged people who gain food, fuel, medicines, and building materials from wild plants. Therefore the addition of information on edible and medicinal plants is of extreme importance ... Voices from the Forest gives a fresh positive approach to biodiversity conservation in SA by showing that people\2019s values for natural resources can be considered positively as a way forward to continued sustainable use. The book explores the role that nature plays in the cultural and spiritual landscapes of the Xhosa people in the Eastern Cape of South Africa and serves as a pointer to sustainable practices in the future. The underlying aim is ultimately sustaining cultural heritage and conserving biodiversity because in our modernising world cultural diversity is threatened by the loss of natural diversity and finding ways of protecting the region's biodiversity and cultural diversity is of vital importance"--Publisher's website.

Contents:

1. Ihlathi lesiXhosa - Fish River Bush to Albany Thicket

2. Amayeza esiXhosa - Xhosa Medicine

3. Ubugqi namakhubalo - Magic and Charms

4. Amasiko esiXhosa -Rituals and Rites 5. Ulwaluko - Rite of Passage

6. Imifino neqhilika - Pot-herbs and Honey Beer - -7. Ubungcibi kwaXhosa- Ceremonial Crafts

8. Iimbhola zesiXhosa - Xhosa Cosmetics

9. Inkcubeko nendalo - Dance of Diversity

10. Imithi yesiXhosa \2014 Medicinal Plants.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9781431402991

1431402990

OCLC:

800013972