Abstract
The Tsonga people, residing in Mozambique and South Africa, have a rich history shaped by their distinct regions and culture. The Tsonga region in Mozambique, established by Soshange (Nghunghunyane), was called the Gaza Kingdom. Consequently, the Tsonga homeland in South Africa was later called Gazankulu (Greater Gaza), although it had no structural resemblance to the former Gaza Kingdom. This study provides the first comprehensive synthesis of Tsonga medicinal plants, comparing them between the two regions and other south-eastern Bantu-speaking cultures (Pedi, Venda, Swati, and Zulu).
The Tsonga inventory comprises 368 species and infraspecific taxa, of which 340 were recorded in Mozambique, including 73 new taxa records, 739 new use records, and 264 new vernacular names recorded. In South Africa, 248 medicinal species were recorded, with 127 new taxa records, 935 new medicinal uses, and 337 new vernacular names—a milestone for the poorly documented Tsonga medicinal ethnobotany.
Despite having eight mutually intelligible dialects and distinct characteristics, the Tsonga groups identify as one cultural entity. This research explores whether the Tsonga people in Mozambique and South Africa share the same traditional medicinal system (i.e., the same or similar medicinal plant species and the same or similar medicinal uses). While there were exceptionally high similarities in medicinal species, indicating similar floristic environments, there were remarkably low similarities in medicinal uses and vernacular names. Even when comparing villages, each Tsonga group appeared unique in upholding its traditional medicinal practices. Key species used for the same purposes and shared vernacular names in both Tsonga regions were identified and these were Aloe greatheadii, Aloe marlothii, Aloe parvibracteata, Sesamum eriocarpum, Sesamum senecioides, Sesamum zanguebarium, Adansonia digitata, Momordica balsamina, Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra, and Euclea divinorum.
Historically, the Tsonga people maintained relationships with neighbouring Bantu-speaking groups, namely the Pedi, Venda, Swati, and Zulu. These interactions
PhD Thesis | E Sitoe
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encompassed various aspects, including trade, the exchange of information, territorial settlements, and even instances of conflict, such as wars. Geographically, these Bantu-speaking groups reside in close proximity to the Tsonga. Given these historical and geographical ties, this study sought to compare the medicinal systems of the Tsonga with those of the southern African Bantu-speaking groups mentioned above, both in terms of culture and geography. Unsurprisingly, the findings revealed minimal similarities in medicinal uses and vernacular names among these distinct cultural entities.
Consistent floristic patterns were observed among South African Tsonga, Pedi, and Venda cultures, while Swati and Zulu regions (represented by Eswatini and KwaZulu-Natal province) exhibited analogous but distinct environments. Mozambican Tsonga regions showcased unique floristic compositions, emphasizing the significance of regional distinctions in medicinal plant usage.
The selection and use of medicinal plants were found to be non-random (i.e., the numbers of medicinal species per family are not congruent with the total number of available species of the same families). This apparent intentional selection of families such as Fabaceae and Euphorbiaceae, was demonstrated by the Imprecise Dirichlet Model and the now outdated linear regression analysis approach. In conclusion, this study contributes to understanding Tsonga medicinal ethnobotany, emphasizing regional distinctions and cultural uniqueness. The findings, especially the inventories of Tsonga medicinal plants), can contribute to biodiversity conservation, traditional medicine, and cross-cultural comparisons within southern Africa. Conservation agencies can monitor the sustainability of harvesting of rare species, Tsonga people can become more informed about the value of traditional knowledge and perhaps make greater efforts to help to document and preserve the knowledge and further comparisons between language and cultural groups will be possible when new inventories become available.