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A python skin competes for space with a dead
vulture and a baboon on the ceiling. Other
concoctions of an indeterminate nature are placed
inside labelled bottles. "Isende lehashi" (horse
penis) "Zamafufunyane" (for nightmares and
hysteria), "Owobusoka" (guaranteed to improve the
romantic fortunes of a bachelor), "Zikatokoloshe"
(to ward off an evil goblin said to spread
terror at night).
Some of the potions are reputed to cure common
ailments such as pubic lice, persistent headaches
and stomach aches, skin rashes and other
identifiable illnesses of a physical nature.
Hence some of the stores double up as consulting
rooms. This is where one's fortunes and misfortunes
are read and a possible cure suggested. Mai Mai also
serves as a training ground for sangomas.
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Once the muti is obtained, it can be taken in
various ways, depending on its form and nature.
While some muti is just good for washing with,
smearing on one's body, or for burning and inhaling,
other muti is designed for elaborate uses like
ukuphalaza (regurgitating), ukuchatha (applying by
means of an enema), or nokugquma (steaming).
African Traditional Medicine
makes use of various natural products, many
of which are derived from trees. For this
reason, medicine generally is known as Muti.
In Southern Africa, the word Muti is in
widespread use in most indigenous African
languages, as well as in South African
English and Afrikaans where it is sometimes
used as a slang word for medicine in
general.
Occasions of murder and mutilation
associated with some traditional cultural
practices, in Southern Africa are also
termed Muti killings. Muti killings, more
correctly known as medicine murder are not
human sacrifice in a religious sense, but
rather involve the murder of someone in
order to excise body parts for incorporation
as ingredients into medicine.
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