Museum of History gets its own medicinal garden   |03 September 2022

The National Museum of History, under the patronage of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts (Snicha), in collaboration with the Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps) has officially opened a medicinal garden in its back yard.

This was to mark the African Medicine Day which fell on Wednesday August 31.

It was the executive director of Snicha, Julienne Barra, who had the honour to unveil the commemorative plaque to officially open the garden in a ceremony held yesterday morning at the museum (Ex-Supreme Court Building Victoria).  

The plants in the garden situated underneath the outside staircase of the museum consist of Catharanthus (Rozanmer), Cymbopogon (Sitronnel), Ocimum Gratissiman (Bazilik Granfey), Leonotis Nepetifolia (Montosyel), Zingiber Officinale (Zenzanm), Aloe Vera (Alovera), Plectranhus Amboinicus (Gro Bonm) and Ocimum Basilicum (Tokmarya), among others.

The medicinal garden is expected to raise awareness among younger children and the youth on traditional medicine.

It is also to provide them with memorable and immersive learning experiences, provoke their imagination, introduce unknown worlds and subject matter while offering a unique environment for quality time with family.

The African Traditional Medicine Day is to honour the integral role of traditional medicine in the health and welfare of generations of people on the continent with the aim of valorising, promoting and embracing traditional medicine.

Before the opening of the garden, the guests, who included the principal secretary of Snicha, Cecile Kalebi; the chief executive of Ceps Alvin Laurence; Ceps’ chairperson, Françoise Larue; eco-school students and teachers; representatives from the Arts and Culture from Rodrigue Island; Snicha staff among others, were able to learn about the uses of medicinal plants throughout the history of Seychelles from social anthropologist Jean Claude Mahoune and on the use of medicinal plants for health purposes through the experience of expert herbalist, Jemmy Dogley.

After the opening of the garden officials from Snicha and museum staff planted several medicinal plants to further embellish the garden and later viewed an exhibition showcasing a variety of medicinal plants and products.

Taking part in the exhibition was a group of students from the La Misère primary school eco-clubs with their variety of medicinal plants they have planted at the school.

In her opening remarks, PS Kalebi said that the activities to celebrate African Traditional Medicine Day was in line with Snicha objectives to continuously ensure the transmission of our traditions and heritage to the public, with particular focus on the youths.

She added that more than ever, we need to value the knowledge of our herbalists who have helped to promote and to sustain the important savoir faire so that ordinary people can reap health benefits from our traditional recipes.  

PS Kalebi stated that most traditional medicine practices in Seychelles, especially those involving medicinal plants, are no longer considered ‘taboo’ as it was traditionally and that drinking ‘en pti lafresisan’, giving your child a ‘ben’, and the current trend of drinking some ‘bwa torti’ in the morning are now common practices.

She took the opportunity to encourage all herbalists, traditional health practitioners and researchers and even medical health practitioners, to work together in a continuous effort to promote our traditional medicine.

She added there is no doubt that traditional health practitioners have an important role to play in health promotion and the prevention of illness. To illustrate her point, PS Kalebi said that Snicha organises a series of activities focussing on valorising the soursop plant, locally known as ‘korsol’, a fruit which contains around 83% of recommended daily allowance of fiber, which is a vital nutrient for your digestive health.

On her part, Mrs Larue remarked that plants have helped the humans in terms of being turned into medicines that are continuously saving lives.  

She noted that a special effort needs to be done to save the space occupied by plants from agriculture, constructions and other types of development.

On the other hand, she also noted that a special effort needs to be done to propagate the medicinal plants for future generations.

She encouraged everyone to at least plant a medicinal plant at home or work place, to ensure that they do not become extinct.

Speaking to Seychelles NATION, historian Tony Mathiot said he will propose that herbalists who have left their mark in the country such as Charles Zialor and Ferdinand Vidot among other great Seychellois herbalist are honoured during next year’s activity. 

The accompanying photos show some highlights of yesterday’s activity at the National Museum of History.

Text & photos by Patrick Joubert