The perception and utilisation of morama and other food plants by the Nharo of Western Botswana

bibliographic database
Line

Book

Title:	The perception and utilisation of morama and other food plants by the Nharo of Western Botswana
Author:	Barnard, Alan
Year:	1984
Issue:	4
Pages:	53
Language:	English
Series:	Occasional papers (ISSN 1363-0342)
City of publisher:	Edinburgh
Publisher:	Centre of African Studies, Edinburgh University
Geographic term:	Botswana
Subjects:	San botany food
Abstract:	The Nharo - a Khoe-speaking people, close linguistic relatives of the G/wi and G//ana of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, and of the Basarwa (Bushman) groups of eastern Botswana and the Okavango delta - are the most longstanding residents of the Ghanzi farm block and its surrounding areas. Traditionally hunter-gatherers, they have long lived in contact with other ethnic groups and have to a large extent become accustomed to living as labourers and squatters on the Ghanzi ranches. This ethnobotanical study focuses on their perception and utilization of plants, and in particular, on their knowledge of the morama plant (Bauhinia esculenta), a creeper which is an important staple food valued for both i ts tasty seeds and its edible root.