Swahili Plants

An Ethnobotanical Survey

Author: Bernd Heine, Karsten Legère.

1995
376 pp.
8 diagrams, 9 tables
Text language(s): English
E-book
€ 49.80

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This ethnobotanical study deals with the botanical terms (phytonyms / plant taxonomy) in Standard Swahili (Kiswahili Sanifu). They are used by Swahili fishermen and farmers on the East African islands Zanzibar and Pemba as well as the coastal region of the mainland. The authors give information on the linguistic structure of the botanical terms, the sociolinguistic aspects as well as a description of several indigenous plants. Each plant is presented in detail in its use as a source of food, of building material, of medicine and of feed for animals. Emphasis is placed on wild plants without excluding cultivated plants.

The aim of this study was to record Swahili speakers’ knowledge and experience of the local flora in general (folk taxonomy). While Greenway (1937) obtained his information from the different parts of Tanzania, this study concentrates on the coastal regions where Swahili is spoken as a native tongue. An introductory part explains the folk taxonomy classification with the help of diagrams and tables.

Under these links you will find ethnobotanical / ethnozoological publications and further studies featuring ritual healing practices, traditional medicine, knowledge of plant use and honey production in Africa:

Accompanying material:

• A Tima-English Dictionary (ISBN 978-3-89645-901-5)
• Dealing with Disorder (ISBN 978-3-89645-082-1)
• Ein Heilungsritual der Dama, Südwestafrika/Namibia (ISBN 978-3-89645-351-8)
• Expérience végétale bolia (C.35b, République Démocratique du Congo) (ISBN 978-3-89645-037-1)
• Linguistic Salvage – Isubu and Wovea (Bantu A231) (ISBN 978-3-89645-770-7)
• Sprachhistorische Rekonstruktionen zu den Ursprüngen von Getreidenutzung und Gartenbau in Nordostafrika (ISBN 978-3-89645-097-5)
• The Akie Language of Tanzania (ISBN 978-3-89645-714-1)
• The Mukogodo Maasai (ISBN 978-3-927620-86-5)
• Wörterbuch Swahili-Deutsch (ISBN 978-3-89645-415-7)

Cross-reference:

• A Bibliography of the Maa Language and the Maasai People (ISBN 978-3-89645-710-3)
• Honey Hunting and Beekeeping in Adamaoua (Cameroon) (ISBN 978-3-89645-851-3)
• Khoisan Medicine in History and Practice (ISBN 978-3-89645-148-4)
• Maasai Diviners and Christianity (ISBN 978-3-89645-761-5)
• Responding to Disease Outbreak in Cameroon (ISBN 978-3-89645-855-1)
• Wörterbuch Deutsch-Swahili (ISBN 978-3-89645-346-4)
• Wörterbuch Swahili-Deutsch (ISBN 978-3-89645-165-1)
• Wörterbuch Swahili-Deutsch / Deutsch-Swahili (ISBN 978-3-89645-197-2)

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