It is the oldest market in Joburg and entirely dedicated to traditional healing. The sickly of the city flock here to have their ills, physical and spiritual, divined and treated by traditional healers.

Dubbed 'Ezinyangenim', the place of healers, the Mai Mai is nestled on the eastern wing of the city centre. Jabu Vilakazi, manager of the market, describes it as "Afrocentric", catering for indigenous needs and practices, and indeed, it is here that some spiritual and cultural elements of indigenous knowledge have been reworked and preserved.

Many consider it to be the "muti" (traditional medicine) capital of Johannesburg, with most of its 176 vendors dedicated to traditional healing. Mai Mai is also home to some 600 people, many of whom have lived in the complex for decades, evolving into a close-knit and self-contained community. Dance competitions featuring dancing troupes from hostels across the city are a regular feature of the complex.

"What sets the Mai Mai apart is its unique product, the presence of an established community in the premises and of course, its cultural richness," says Nhlanhla Ndovela, of the Metropolitan Trading Company.

Popular tourist destination

The market is also popular with tourists, who are fascinated by the exotic offerings for sale. "They come here to buy traditional artefacts, including Zulu attire, clothes made from animal skins and feathers, walking sticks, knobkerries, shields, sandals, beaded items. Some also visit the place to have their ills diagnosed," says young shop assistant Nkosinathi Mkhwanazi, who mans perhaps the biggest and most elaborate of the muti stalls in the market.

As you approach his shop in the complex, you are greeted by various animal parts hung up to dry on the verandah. This is not biltong, but medicine reputed to cure various ills. The medicine, according to Mkhwanazi, that is capable of getting a patient acquitted from a serious legal case, or stave off bad luck, nightmares and make a patient generally popular with other people.

"You prepare this by first burning then grinding it," explains Mkhwanazi, pointing at the remains of a porcupine which he says "mixed with the right choice of herbs and grinded tree bark, renders you invincible before your enemies. You become strong and immune to bad spells and general misfortunes."

On the shelves above a python skin competes for space with a dead vulture and a baboon attached to the ceiling. Other concoctions of an indeterminate nature are placed inside labelled bottles. "Isende lehashi" (horse penis) "Zamafufunyane" (for nightmares and hysteria), "Owobusoka" - (Guaranteed to improve the romantic fortunes of a bachelor), "Zikatokoloshe" (to ward off an imaginary evil goblin that is said to reign terror at night).

Some of the potions are reputed to cure common ailments like sexually transmitted infections such as pubic lice, persistent headaches and stomach aches, skin rashes and other identifiable illnesses of a physical nature.

An inyanga throws the bones
According to Bhekabantu Ngema (58), an inyanga (traditional doctor) who has lived in Mai Mai since 1967, patients should ideally come to inyangas with the knowledge of what muti they want. "Otherwise," says Ngema, "they should start by consulting sangomas (spiritual healers and traditional seers) who can determine the nature of the problem. Only then can we as healers help with the appropriate medicine, or help establish contact with your ancestors."

Sangomas, says Mkhwanazi, normally pick up two general kinds of bad luck. One is inflicted through witchcraft, usually by a jealous rival. The other shade of bad luck is caused by unhappy ancestors. It is here that patients are counselled to slaughter a beast to appease and rekindle relations with the ancestors.

"In other words, sangomas diagnose and prescribe, while we inyangas generally heal, although we can also prescribe, depending on the nature of the problem or whether our ancestors give us the power to help a patient," explains Ngema.

Hence some of the stores double up as consulting rooms. This is where one's fortunes and misfortunes are read and a possible cure suggested. Mai Mai also serves as a training ground for sangomas.

Once the muti is obtained, it can be taken in various ways, depending on what is prescribed. While some muti is just good for washing with, smearing on the patient's body, or simply burning and inhaling it, other muti is designed for more complex uses like ukuphalaza (regurgitating/disgorging), ukuchatha (to apply enema) or nokugquma (steaming).

The Mai Mai market is on the corner of Berea and Anderson streets in the Johannesburg city centre.

Article appears courtesy of the Johannesburg News Agency