Abstract:
This article mainly attempted to explore the role of utilizing indigenous
medicines in environmental protection among the Maccaa Oromo of Jimma and
Iluu Abba bora zone, south-western Ethiopia. To this end, 4 separate interviews
with 4 interviewees, 2 focus group discussions with 17 participants, and non participant field observation were conducted to generate significant and reliable
data. Besides, the researchers employed secondary data to make the study more
significant and complete. The findings of the study show that since the source of
medicines is the environment, the community protects their environment unless
the society wouldn’t accessed the natural medicines they need. The study also
reveals that most of these folk medicines used by the Maccaa Oromos are from 31
plants. This further indicates the society protects the natural environment to get
the plants they use for medication. Thus, folk healing practices are crucial on the
one hand to treat illnesses, and to protect the ecosystem on the other hand.
However, these societal knowledge is undermined as well as they are being
replaced by western (scientific) knowledge, modern medicines. These days, our
planet is suffering from global warming, wild fire, flooding, drought, and
desertification. Averting these threats is impossible without protecting societal
environmental indigenous knowledge.
