49: How a Diverse Network Makes you Stronger with Nox Makunga

Our conversation today comes from South Africa. Nox Makunga- completed a PHD in Botany,  a Fulbright in Minnesota and lives in Stollenbach in South Africa focusing on healing plants and indigenous healers. She studies how these plants and unique preparations can be deeply healing and beneficial to all people. She shares so many insights about how to study and understand the plants and how the environment of a plant changes its chemistry. She discusses balancing teaching, researching, and writing. And the power of collaborating and sharing the magic of plants with each other.

Nox Makunga Links:

https://www.instagram.com/nox_makunga/?hl=en

Thymelights:

https://www.instagram.com/livingtruenature/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/heathersaba/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/_tapi_tapi/?hl=en

Links Mentioned in the show:

Thyme in the Studio links:

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https://www.instagram.com/thymeinthestudiopodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/aida.zea.arts/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/403582056803336/

www.aidazea.com

www.thymeinthestudio.com

Contact me: [email protected]

Music by komiku

Topics covered in this chat:

Fulbright and living in Minnesota

Metabolites and light affect growth patterns of plants

Exposed to different light environments to understand how environmental conditions affect growth patterns

Succuluent

Sceletium tortuosum or kanna, a succulent plant well known for its mood-enhancing properties,

Used by the Khoe-Sān people-indigenous people of South African

12 minute quote

Commercialized as a use for depression

Used for divination

Affects the mind positively

Semi-desert plant that flowers once it starts to rain.

Long history of use by people.

Depression is a huge problem and this species seems to be beneficial for the brain

Mike Smith paper about this species was part of what sparked curiosity to study this plant more deeply

Light regulates the compounds within a plant.

The conditions of a living thing changes how it grows

The light changes the chemistry

The seasons regulate the chemicals within a plant as well.

The summer solstice versus winter solstice growth

Fermenting the plant improves the bioavailability

Studying with indigenous healers to better understand the use of plants

Stollenbosch was named after governor,author.

Mezambrine alkaloids- became more popular to study in the 1970’s

Koi and San descendents

Rastafarian herbalists using this plant for healing

Connects with local plant people.

African traditional medicine was not generally written.

Scientists are beginning to collect and record this knowledge

Unique plants of South Africa

Supporting the economy using unique plants

Socio-economic input by using the wisdom of local plants.

Act within the paradigms of sustainability and conservation

Khoe-Sān people

Botanical Ranching and Permaculture

Wild environments that are tended

Cycling harvest

Work so that nature is always able to give and work with nature with respect

Biodiversity Act- prevents biopiracy

Any commercialization of indeigenous knowledge needs to benefit the person or people who held that knowledge

Must benefit the community from which the knowledge comes

Difficult to navigate

Sometimes ancient or community knowledge

Regulated system intended to prevent exploitation of local people.

Travel to China with Khoe-Sān healer

Healing by dreaming about ancestors, plants, and where to collects plants

Spiritual ancestral connection through dream work

Chinese traditional medicine and how it was different than traditional South African Medicine

Ancient script and formulas that were more formal

Swapping notes with consultation contrast and similarities

33 minutes-great quote

Recording the knowledge of indigenous wisdom

Black Botanist Week

Ancient languages being lost

Local names of plants in languages that are no longer spoken

Language is very powerful in carrying what plants might be used for and the ecology around plants

Indigenous communities are often displaced and plants they

Lost information regarding plants, how they were used and

When a traditional healer dies it is like losing an encyclypedia

Much information gets lost

Similar to US and indegenous people of the Americas and how culture, language, and healing traditions have been broken and lost

Important to preserve what knowledge we can.

Dinner with traditional foods in the USA

Foraging for hidden plants and experiences

Using the flora that we have in new ways

Osha

Rooibos has a restricted distribution and limited growth pattern and requires a specific climate

Important to study what unique plants need

If you are going to use a plant for commercial use then it is crucial to learn to cultivate it and to grow it not only in the wild

Teaching in South Africa

Plant and Plant Biochemistry related

Research versus teaching

Finding balance

Time blocking is helpful for concentration and deep work

International projects on the horizon and working with others

47 minute quote

Collaborating with other people and working with others

“ The more diverse your network, the stronger you really are.”

Looking at multiple species within the genus

Variable landscapes within South Africa

Changes within every hour

Xhosa language

Landscape drawing and painting

Connection to the landscape to feed our souls

I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please be sure to connect with Nox_makunga on instagram Thank you for being such a wonderful listener and I appreciate you being here!

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