Almost correct for Afrikaans - blinkblaar=shiny leaf. Wag 'n bietjie = wait a bit Reason for the name is that the leaves are shiny and the hooked thorns holds you back. One can get seriously stuck in those thorns!
Mokgalo in Setswana and umLahlankosi in many Nguni languages,used to mark a chief’s’ grave…by planting it on the grave. Otherwise a twig (small branch with leaves i.e) is used to carry a deceased’s roaming spirit, if they did not pass away at their homestead,home to be rested in peace and transcend to the others side. The bark and leaves can be concocted into a remedy for inter alia respiratory ailments…The berries can be ground and used as coffee…Tree of many uses indeed
I grew up eating the berries - umphafa. Yes if your clothes are caught by the thorns it’s a nightmare to detangle . Thanks for giving this beautiful tree publicity.
Thank you for another fantastic video! We're learning so much about beautiful Zimbabwe through you 💖 You're a treasure and we look forward to your videos always
@@AfricanPlantHunter we (the moms and dads on this channel) have been away from Zimbabwe for decades, but every time we check out your channel it makes for great conversation. The things we grew up with, the fruits and food we used to forage. Noone else seems to highlight these things on this platform but this is really what brings us back every time. We appreciate you 😍
Hi Gus. Thanks! So interesting! Also in Zulu it's called uMlahl'inkosi. The belief is if you die far from home a branch of this can be taken to transport your spirit back home. I also heard that these were the thorns Shaka used to make his warriors run over- if you flinched he killed you! Someone told me that Shaka said the hooked thorn was to show you to learn from your past, but the straight one meant look to the future. Not sure if that's truly a Shaka quote? In Kenya on the coast the kids love to eat these berries (tree called Mguguna) but even more so the Ziziphus mauritiana fruit which is called kunazi.
I enjoy your channel very much. Thanks for the interesting lessons. I have a bush axe that I brought home as a souvenir after a trip to Zimbabwe. It was explained to me that the blade made from whatever - an old leaf spring or some such, - is inserted into what was the root base of the plant and the handle that is held is actually the stalk - but no one seems to be able to identify the plant for me or show me what it looks like in its natural state. Can you do a piece on this please? I think it would be very interesting and thanks again from Texas for your very enjoyable work.
Thanks for that. Definitely an interesting and unusual question! In Zimbabwe we call an axe "demo". There are many different types of wood used to make them. Let me do some further research and I'll see what I come up with. The best timber I know for making axe handles is leadwood (Combretum imberbe), but it's very tough to work!
Hi Gus! May I shoot you a mail please? If ever in northern Namibia it would be a fantastic treat if you could pay me a visit and share some knowledge and ideas... While I have your attention, I hope, any ideas how to deal with termites in a permaculture food forest. I really want to mulch to get soil amendment starting and conserve water usage but the termites makes it impossible, in fact they are killing my young live trees and plants, like peacan, guava and grenadellas even.
Hi, thanks for this. I absolutely love Namibia, so it's a very real possibility that I'll be there sometime soon! If it happens, I'll be sure to let you know. Please do go ahead at shoot me an email: info (at) africanplanthunter.com. Look forward to chatting more!
