10 Oct 2024

The advent of religion and science has undoubtedly suppressed the power and capabilities of indigenous knowledge across nations and Batswana have not been spared.

Traditional practices and norms have been reduced to secretive undertakings, done under the shadow of darkness and communicated in harsh tones.

 The beneficiaries of such practices do not openly share their testimonies, lest they face judgement from society.

Nonetheless, a few metres from the Sekoma-Khakhea road, in a small village of Khonkhwa, Onketetse Menwane of Moriti Ward is well known for healing children’s illnesses with herbs, a skill she acquired from her late grandmother. She reminisces about her childhood when she used to follow her grandmother to the forest to get these herbs.

“My grandmother taught me when I was still a child. I used to go with her to dig these plants s and she will also show me the whole processes as she was helping people over the years,” she explains.

She learnt how to mix and use plants such as Mokatelo, Tshimega, Lonano, Ditanjana, Mabele and Magato, among others, for the different ailments. She is also able to effectively diagnose children who come with various situations, especially those affected by miscarriages and abortions.

“Ke thusa malwetsi a bana a tshwana le thibamo kana ngwana a jetswe, le motho ha a senyegetswe ke a mo alaha,” says the 69-year-old grandmother of eight.

In addition, she reveals that she has healed women who had fertility issues and have successfully had healthy children thereafter.  She has even assisted her family members and children when they had difficulties during pregnancy as well as nursing mothers.

According to her grandmother’s teachings, these procedures should be respected and the herbs have to be in their purest form. Subsequently, she collects them from far away bushes where there is less movement of people and animals, as an indication of the sacred traditions associated therewith.

 She believes that those within the village have lost their power hence would not be as effective.

She admits that her impactful skill and talent are not highly embraced in the modern world.

Her wish is to transfer the indigenous knowledge to younger generations to continue her grandmother’s legacy.

Due to her deteriorating eyesight, she currently engages one of her granddaughters in her herb-hunting excursions, in an endeavour to teach her from a young age. However, Ms Menwane laments lack of payment from her clients, who she says come from different parts of the country.

“People come here because of desperate situations and I help them to the best of my ability but unfortunately some of them do not pay.

It is unfortunate because I could be surviving well from this knowledge, but now I live like a beggar yet I continue to help people,” she says.

Her ultimate goal is to be licensed, not only to be protected by the law, but to also openly collaborate with medical professionals with a common purpose of assisting Batswana. ENDS