Muthi & Myths From the African Bush

Muthi and Myths from Africa presents fifty-two compelling tales leading readers on a year-long journey of discovery across the African continent, tracking the ancient grail of traditional African medicine or muthi. With one story for each week of the year, this richly illustrated book captures many stories from Africa’s oral tradition, committed to paper for the first time.
The ancient African people were the first aromatherapists, innately understanding plants’ effects on body, mind and soul. Across thousands of years, countless African lineages have used plant medicines for healing, always with ancestral blessings. This book endeavours to illuminate the deep history of fifty-two indigenous medicinal plants before this precious knowledge is lost forever.

Focusing on Southern Africa—a hotspot of cultural and botanical diversity— the authors hope readers will experience Africa’s magnetism, mystery and wisdom. Unlike the recorded healing knowledge of India or China, little of Africa’s healing history has been documented, making this collection particularly valuable.

Through these stories about prominent indigenous plant cures, readers gain deeper understanding of themselves and humanity whilst preserving irreplaceable traditional knowledge.

Also available in Afrikaans as Muti en Mites uit Afrika.