A fresh conversation around health, heritage and healing is taking shape at Nelson Mandela University, where a recent workshop is putting medicinal gardening and indigenous knowledge firmly in the spotlight.
Held on 20 March 2026, the Medicinal Gardening Workshop brought together a powerful mix of voices from across Nelson Mandela Bay. From university stakeholders to traditional leaders and healers, the focus was clear: how do we better connect traditional practices with scientific research in a way that benefits communities?
Representatives from the Missionvale, Bird Street and Second Avenue campuses joined the Faculty of Science, the Medical School, Nelson Mandela Bay traditional leaders and the Nyangezezizwe Traditional Doctors for a day of open discussion and idea sharing.
At the heart of the workshop was a simple but important idea. Medicinal gardening already exists within communities. The opportunity now is to strengthen it through research, support and collaboration.
Engagement Director Dr Bruce Damons guided the conversation, with practical suggestions emerging around how to improve existing medicinal gardens and create dedicated spaces where plants can be grown, studied and processed.
One of the standout ideas was the potential upgrade of the Rondawel at Missionvale Campus. This space, already used by traditional healers and herbalists, could be transformed into a resource centre that supports both learning and practice.
There were also calls for a dedicated on-campus space where traditional healers can work alongside students and researchers. This kind of collaboration could open new pathways for learning while ensuring indigenous knowledge is respected and preserved.
Importantly, the conversation also touched on real challenges. Stakeholders raised concerns around how traditional consultation practices are funded, as well as the need for proper recognition and accreditation when indigenous knowledge contributes to academic research.
While the workshop itself was just one day, it signals the start of something bigger. A long-term collaboration that aims to bring together science and tradition in a way that feels relevant, respectful and rooted in the realities of Nelson Mandela Bay.
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