Long before supermarkets, indigenous foods like ubhece, amadumbe, sorghum, millet, maize, and cowpeas were a regular feature on South African plates. They are more than comforting meals, but a call back to cultural pride, ecological wisdom, and deep respect for nature.
Passed down through generations, these plants have nourished bodies and the ecosystems that sustain us.
Two indigenous chefs, who are at the forefront of this movement, remind us that food isn’t just about taste, but connection, care, and living in harmony with the earth.
Nourishing and sustainable
Chef Mokgadi Itsweng, a cookbook author, food activist, and the head chef and creative director at Lotsha Green Kitchen, says indigenous plants are not used in the same way across different cultures. However, what brings us together is discovering that what one community uses as seshebo may be used elsewhere for healing.
“Take pumpkin, for example. In some communities, it’s used to help women produce more breast milk after giving birth,” she says.
Itsweng points out that while cultures differ in how they prepare and enjoy indigenous ingredients, there is a thread that runs through southern African food traditions, a shared way of eating and connecting.
“These foods are markers for us as indigenous people. We have culture, stories, and recipes tied to these plants that grow naturally here. It means we belong here.”
Itsweng says many of the plants native to Mzansi are not just nourishing but also gentle on the earth. Unlike some foreign crops, they don’t strain natural resources.
“Our indigenous plants are climate-smart. That’s something we can be proud of.”
Chef Mokgadi Itsweng
She notes that these plants are not just indigenous – they also work with the soil, helping to protect and restore it. Examples include sorghum, Bambara groundnuts, cowpeas, amaranth and pearl millet.
The importance of eating seasonally, Itsweng adds, keeps us in balance with nature and deepens our understanding of it.
“Appreciating foraged and locally sourced foods is powerful. That’s Mother Nature giving us food, freely.”
She tells Food For Mzansi that it’s the duty of chefs to preserve and promote indigenous food knowledge. By doing so, they help address food insecurity and support the fight against climate change.
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Lessons from Mother Nature
Nonhlanhla Moroenyane, a cookbook author, food activist and founder of Noni’s Home Dish, says food shapes our DNA. It forms a significant part of our spiritual being and carries a piece of our intelligence.
“It is due to the nourishment of these indigenous foods that we know what we know today. This is food that not only feeds but also supports the brain and works with every organ in the body,” she says.
Moroenyane believes that if we do not understand the history of our food, we lose a crucial part of who we are. She explains that these foods go beyond being “indigenous” – they carry memory, tradition and rituals passed from one generation to the next.
She says seasonal foods offer indirect education that we often overlook. “These types of food teach us patience. They help us appreciate what’s in season and remind us to be present in the moment.”
“Connecting with food in its natural season means the plant has had time to interact with the earth, the sun, and everything else it needs to nourish us properly.”
Chef Nonhlanhla Moroenyane
Using amaranth, or imbuya, as an example, she says it’s not meant for winter. “This plant thrives during the rainy season, and that tells us something; it’s about listening to nature’s timing.”
For Moroenyane, the art of foraging is a forgotten kingdom – one that sustained our ancestors and brought communities together. She says we must also remember to give back when we harvest, either by leaving some behind or replanting. “That’s how we show gratitude to nature.”
Moroenyane finds it odd that many of us now eat food that’s travelled long distances, losing its connection to place, but she’s hopeful. From food gatherers to smallholder farmers, she believes we can bring back the practice of food exchange, trading beans for maize, herbs for fruit, just as it used to be.
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