Herbalism, Muthi & Boererate
Welcome — come in, come in. Put your bag down, wash the dust from your hands, and sit with me a while.
This is a place of old cupboards and well-worn recipes, of plant bundles hanging from the rafters and stories told softly while the kettle comes to boil. Here we gather the healing knowledge of the land — muthi, boererate, teas, poultices, prayers, and plant-lore — just as it has been shared for generations: hand to hand, heart to heart.
On this page, we will explore folk remedies and healing cures, the everyday medicines made from leaves, roots, bark, fat, ash, and faith. We will listen to the stories plants carry — how they were found, how they are prepared, when they are trusted, and when they are treated with caution. Some of these remedies heal the body, some soothe the spirit, and others remind us that healing is often as much about memory and care as it is about medicine.
This is not a clinic, and it is not a rulebook. It is an almanac in the old sense — a gathering of wisdom, observations, remedies, and remembrance. Some things here may feel familiar, others new, and some may stir memories you didn’t know you were carrying.
So make yourself comfortable. Ask questions. Take notes if you like.
And remember — learning, like healing, is best done slowly, together, and with warmth.
The Almanac is growing slowly, one plant, remedy, story and piece of old wisdom at a time. Explore the collections below, or browse the Remedy Index to find a particular ailment or concern.
Please do not use any of these remedies without first checking with your medical doctor, an especially if pregnant or breastfeeding.
Folk remedies & boererate, arranged by ailment
Plants, herbs, trees, compounds & their medicinal uses
Teas, tinctures, poultices, salves, washes & more
Muthi, household remedies, folk healing & the stories behind them
CLICK HERE to explore traditional remedies, household cures and healing practices gathered from the folk traditions of Southern Africa.
CLICK HERE to discover the plants, trees, flowers and herbs that have found their way into kitchens, gardens, medicine chests and healing traditions.
CLICK HERE to learn about the traditional ways plants and natural ingredients have been prepared: teas, infusions, decoctions, poultices, washes, salves and more.
CLICK HERE to explore muthi, boererate, household healing, folk beliefs, healing customs and the stories passed from one generation to another.
This collection will never truly be finished.
New plants, remedies, stories and traditions will be added as they are researched, remembered and gathered. Some entries will come from historical sources, some from oral tradition, and some from the living practices of communities who continue to carry this knowledge today.
We gather carefully. We name our sources. We honour the traditions from which knowledge comes. This is our sacred promise to you.