Namibia’s Medicinal Plants: Traditional Knowledge, Conservation and World Wildlife Day 2026

A story of traditional medicine, bush veld plants and the living knowledge of Okonjima's Indigenous Folk

Imagine walking through Okonjima’s savanna at golden hour. The air carries the faint camphor scent of a shrub brushing your arm, its silver-green leaves catching the last light. Your guide pauses, breaks off a small branch, and tells you that this same plant helped save a man’s life during the darkest days of the COVID pandemic.

This is not folklore. This is Okonjima. And the land here holds stories that go far deeper than the wildlife you have come to see.

Can I see medicinal plants on a game drive or walk at Okonjima Nature Reserve?

Yes. The camphor bush, leadwood and shepherd’s tree all grow naturally across Okonjima’s bushveld landscape. Guests are encouraged to ask their guide about these species during game drives and bush walks, each carries a remarkable story of ecological and cultural significance that brings the Reserve to life beyond its wildlife.

What is the shepherd's tree and why is it called the Tree of Life?

The shepherd’s tree (Boscia albitrunca) earns its name through extraordinary resilience. Evergreen and drought-resistant, it taps deep underground water reserves to stay lush when the surrounding savanna turns dry. It provides edible roots and buds for humans, fodder for wildlife and livestock, and has been used in traditional medicine across Namibia and southern Africa for generations, making it one of the most valuable trees in the region.

What is the significance of World Wildlife Day 2026 for Okonjima?

World Wildlife Day is observed globally on 3 March each year. The 2026 theme, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods, resonates deeply at Okonjima, where plants such as the camphor bush, leadwood and shepherd’s tree are not only part of the ecosystem but are woven into the lived traditions and healthcare knowledge of the people who call the Reserve home.

Does Okonjima offer experiences focused on traditional knowledge and medicinal plants?

Okonjima’s guides carry deep knowledge of the Reserve’s flora and its cultural significance. While exploring the landscape, guests frequently encounter the medicinal plant species described in this story. We encourage all visitors to engage with their guide about the plants, people and traditions that make Okonjima’s conservation story unique.

When the Bush Became a Medicine Cabinet

When COVID struck Namibia, Tate Shuimwefeleni Hituamata, a long-serving member of the Okonjima team, fell seriously ill. With hospitals under strain and formal medical care out of reach, he was sent home. His prognosis was uncertain.

His wife, Meme Wilemina Hituamata, did not panic. Instead, she did what her family and community had done for generations, she walked into the bush.

Drawing on decades of lived knowledge, she identified three plants growing within the Reserve: the camphor bush, the leadwood tree and the shepherd’s tree. She prepared two remedies. Leaves from the camphor bush and leadwood were crushed together and boiled for up to an hour, then cooled and administered in small doses three times a day. Separately, she finely crushed shepherd’s tree leaves into a cloth bag, through which her husband inhaled and exhaled slowly for several minutes at a time.

Tate Shuimwefeleni recovered.

“I have lived in this land for over 50 years, and I know the trees and plants. The remedies we use have been part of our lives for generations, and they have always helped us in times of need.”

— Tate Shuimwefeleni Hituamata, Okonjima Reserve

Meet the Plants You May Walk Past Today

These are not rare or exotic species. They grow across Okonjima’s landscape, quietly doing their work, for the ecosystem, for the wildlife, and for the people who know how to listen to them.

The Camphor Bush (Tarchonanthus camphoratus)

You will likely smell it before you see it. The camphor bush, omùtiatúpà in both Otjiherero and Oshiwambo, releases a distinctive, medicinal fragrance when its leaves are brushed or crushed. For generations across southern Africa, leaf infusions and decoctions have been used to treat coughs, bronchitis, abdominal pain and toothache. Smoke from burning leaves is inhaled to relieve headaches and sinus congestion. It is an aromatic shrub or small tree, widespread across savanna and grassland and the first plant Meme Wilemina reached for.

The Leadwood Tree (Combretum imberbe)

Look for the ancient, pale-barked giant with a broad canopy that seems to hold the sky up. The leadwood, omumboronbonga in Otjiherero, omukuku in Oshiwambo, is one of Africa’s most enduring trees, capable of living for up to 1,000 years. Its timber is famously dense; its canopy provides shade for resting lion and nesting birds alike. Traditionally, it is used to treat gastrointestinal and respiratory ailments and has been associated with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in scientific research. Because it grows so slowly, it asks to be treated with respect.

The Shepherd’s Tree (Boscia albitrunca) — The Tree of Life

In a landscape where water defines everything, the shepherd’s tree, omutendereti in Otjiherero, omunkunzi in Oshiwambo, is remarkable. Evergreen and drought-resistant, it taps into underground water reserves through a deep root system, remaining lush when everything around it turns brown. It is no coincidence that it is often found growing near termite mounds, where nutrient-rich soils give it extra vitality.

It has earned its title as the ‘Tree of Life’ many times over: its roots and buds are edible for humans, its foliage provides fodder for wildlife and livestock, and its leaves feature in a range of traditional remedies, including the inhalation treatment Meme Wilemina prepared for her husband. Scientists have also investigated its properties in treating respiratory conditions, adding a layer of modern curiosity to centuries of lived knowledge.

Ancient Knowledge, Modern Relevance

The story of Tate Shuimwefeleni is personal and powerful, but it sits within a much larger global picture. The World Health Organisation estimates that in many developing countries, between 70 and 95 per cent of the population relies on traditional plant-based medicine as their primary form of healthcare. Worldwide, between 50,000 and 70,000 plant species are harvested for medicinal and aromatic use and more than one fifth are now listed as threatened.

That is why World Wildlife Day 2026, observed each year on 3 March to mark the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 1973, has chosen the theme: “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods.”

It is a reminder that conservation is not only about the animals that make headlines. It is about the quiet, essential web of species, many of them plants, that sustain ecosystems, cultures and human health alike.

Why This Matters at Okonjima

The plants Meme Wilemina used are not merely medicinal, they are integral to the ecosystem you experience at Okonjima. Woody plants like these stabilise soils, regulate microclimates and create the structural habitat that supports the wildlife you are here to see. In semi-arid central Namibia, where rainfall is unpredictable and recovery from damage is slow, protecting these trees matters deeply.

Equally important is the knowledge held by people like Meme Wilemina, knowledge that has been passed down through generations, refined by experience and tested by necessity. It is knowledge that science is only beginning to catch up with. Research into camphor bush, leadwood and shepherd’s tree has found promising evidence of the bioactive properties that traditional practitioners have long understood. The integration of Indigenous knowledge with formal science is increasingly recognised as essential, both for healthcare and conservation.

Come and Walk the Land That Holds These Stories

When you visit Okonjima, you are not just entering a wildlife reserve. You are stepping into a landscape shaped by millennia of ecological and human history, one where the trees have names in multiple languages, where the plants carry memory, and where the people who know this land most intimately are still here to share what they know.

Ask your guide about the camphor bush. Find the shepherd’s tree near the termite mound. Look up into the arms of a leadwood that has stood for centuries.

This World Wildlife Day, we celebrate what this land quietly provides and our commitment to ensuring it continues to do so.

Please note: The traditional remedies described in this article reflect personal experience and Indigenous knowledge, shared for cultural and educational purposes only. They do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plant-based treatments. Okonjima Nature Reserve accepts no liability for outcomes arising from the use of this information. Please harvest responsibly and in accordance with Namibian law.