Looking out over the vast savanna, hiking in the dry streams, and winding one’s way along a hillside, it is obvious to see that hardly a single patch of ground is untouched by a coiling vine or sprout. Few tall trees exist on the savanna, meaning that many of the medicinal plants found in these lands are low lying, small, and difficult to notice for the untrained eye. The savanna walks were, to put it frankly, brutal. Although the walk started with a gray blanket cooling and sheltering us in the sky, the persistent sun soon broke through the clouds, angrily punching holes in our cloudy umbrella and baking down on our necks, faces, and backs. For the Maasai it was less of an issue. But for my fair skin, the sun was absolutely merciless. The whistling wind from Kilimanjaro provided some respite from the heat, but it did nothing against the UV rays, which inflicted upon me a quite painful sunburn.
From the smallest grass to the towering willow, the Maasai have a use for just about every bush on their lands. My guide confirmed that the Maasai hardly ever visit hospitals, instead treating even the most severe of injuries with nature’s medicine cabinet. The preparations needed for the plants were incredible as well, some requiring complex combinations of leaves, stems, and roots to be effective. Some plants have only one use, while others are sort of miracle plants, curing a number of maladies. The presence of plants used in childbirth and infancy was overwhelming. Because the Maasai eat primarily meat, plenty of the remedies also deal with the downsides of such a diet. One such plant is the Arpande, which is prepared into a paste which can then be applied to small cuts on the stomach to cure diet-related diseases.
The walks in the riverbed were considerably more enjoyable. The occasional flow of water allowed for larger bushes and trees to grow, even such thirsty plants as willows. The riverbed was far from the village, however, and required a long motorcycle ride to access. The result was rewarding, though, and I gained many useful recordings of medicinal plants.
By far the hardest assignment was identifying the plants after recording them. For me matching the Maasai names to the common names was crucial to the project’s success. There was an enormous problem, however: I was studying among the most underrepresented plants in science, and using the names of a historically underrepresented tribe. My work, I realized, was the first attempt to record and make available any of these remedies by their Maasai name. This discovery highlighted for me the importance of a project like mine, and re-energized me for the next tasks to come.
Wow! sounds daunting, but inspiring at the same time. Thanks for the updates max!
absolutely fascinating! The C.D.C. and F.D.A. should be interested in your findings for use in modern medicines.