Re-discovery of the Kiganda indigenous plants

Plants play a very important role in the survival of the people of Buganda, in central Uganda. Plants are used as medicine for both the physical and the spiritual health issues, food, shelter, fuel and for the numerous cultural functions of the people. However, the Ugandan formal education system continuously devalues the Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and the traditional use of plants in favour of the Western ‘scientific’ oriented ways. This disregard for the IK has led to people’s loss of the Indigenous values and respect for their natural environment. This paper demonstrates how a research student who is also a teacher, worked with a group of teachers and community elders in a Participatory Action Research(PAR) project to integrate IK into the formal education setting. Following the PAR cycles of plan, action, reflection, the co-researchers set out to systematically and deliberately embrace their IK through the re-discovery of their Indigenous plants. The co-researchers collaboratively work out ways of bringing this IK into the formal education setting. In the process, they not only empower themselves but they help in bridging the school with the community and the curriculum with the true Ugandan life experiences.